The social psychology of music and musical taste

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the social psychology of music and musical taste. It deals with four main research questions: (1) Why do people listen to music? (2) Do stereotypes of musical taste influence how individuals judge other people and themselves? (3) Do people exhibit in-group favouritism towards those who share their musical taste? and (4) Do stereotypes of musical taste influence how individuals perceive other people? The findings of this thesis serve to highlight musical taste as an important socio-cultural construct that is likely to influence social cognition, perception and intergroup behaviour. The thesis also provides further insight as to why people listen to music, and why it is so important to them. This thesis serves to highlight the potential for music psychologists to use well-established theories from mainstream social psychology to understand musical behaviour.