Version 2 2024-06-13, 16:43Version 2 2024-06-13, 16:43
Version 1 2016-02-18, 05:32Version 1 2016-02-18, 05:32
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-13, 16:43authored byA Van den Tol, J Edwards, N Heflick
Self-identified sad music (SISM) is often listened to when experiencing sad life situations. Research indicates
that the most common reason people give for listening to SISM is “to be in touch with or express feelings of
sadness”. But why might this be the case? We suggest that one reason people choose to listen to sad music
when feeling sad is to accept aversive situations. We tested if SISM is associated with acceptance coping
and consolation. We hypothesized that SISM relates to acceptance-based coping via the recognition
and identification of emotional states, and that people will report more acceptance from SISM than selfidentified
happy music when seeking consolation. In Study 1, participants recalled how happy or sad
the music sounds that they normally listen to for consolation, and if they listen to this music to gain
acceptance of negative moods and situations. In Study 2, participants reported their goals when listening
to sad music during a recalled time in which they experienced an adverse life situation and whether this
lead to acceptance. Study 1: People reported that they were more likely to listen to sad music than happy
music when seeking consolation, though they preferred happy music in general. Listening to SISM (but
not self-identified happy music) when seeking consolation was associated with acceptance of both a
negative situation and the associated negative emotions. Additionally, seeking to deal with emotions was
associated with both SISM listening (for consolation) and acceptance. Study 2: Listening to SISM to get in
touch with and express affect was the most important self-regulatory strategy (of six examined) through
which acceptance was recalled to be achieved. Experiencing adverse situations or seeking consolation,
people report that listening to SISM is associated with acceptance coping (through the re-experiencing of
affect). Implications for music therapy and theories of emotional coping are discussed.