Emotional communicability in improvised music: the case of music therapists.

Full Abstract

Musical improvisation is considered an efficient way to express emotions in music therapy. We examined the ability of music therapists (MTs) to convey emotions and their ability to accurately decode the emotional content of musical improvisations. Twenty-one MTs improvised on emotions they found difficult or easy to express in life, using or not using an emotional imagery technique. Fifty-five judges, some being MTs others nontherapists, evaluated the emotional content of the improvisations. Results showed that neither experience in therapy, nor musicianship or gender of the improviser were connected to emotional communicability (EC). Emotions that were reported as easy to express in life were communicated more accurately than those difficult to express in life. Emotional imagery did not facilitate and, to some extent, hindered emotional communicability. Some emotions were found to be difficult to express (e.g., anger) in comparison to others (e.g., happiness). MTs decoded the emotional content of the improvisations more accurately than nontherapists. Implications for the practical musical and emotional training of music therapists are discussed.

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Author information

Author/s: Gilboa, Avi (A); Bodner, Ehud (E); Amir, Dorit (D);

Affiliation: Music Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Journal of music therapy (J Music Ther), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-; vol 43 (issue 3) : pp 198-225

Dates: Created 2006/10/13; Completed 2006/12/07;

PMID: 17037951, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Affect
Clinical Competence
Emotions
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans

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