Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: implications for the evolutionary function of music.

Journal article

Abstract:: It is well known that music arouses emotional responses. In addition, it has long been thought to play an important role in creating a sense of community, especially in small scale societies. One mechanism by which it might do this is through the endorphin system, and there is evidence to support this claim. Using pain threshold as an assay for CNS endorphin release, we ask whether it is the auditory perception of music that triggers this effect or the active performance of music. We show that singing, dancing and drumming all trigger endorphin release (indexed by an increase in post-activity pain tolerance) in contexts where merely listening to music and low energy musical activities do not. We also confirm that music performance results in elevated positive (but not negative) affect. We conclude that it is the active performance of music that generates the endorphin high, not the music itself. We discuss the implications of this in the context of community bonding mechanisms that commonly involve dance and music-making.

Journal:: Evolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior More from this journal
Volume:: 10
Issue:: 4
Pages:: 688-702
Publication date:: 2012-01-01
EISSN:: 1474-7049
ISSN:: 1474-7049

Language:: English
Keywords:: Endorphins

Humans

Young Adult

Music

Dancing

Biological Evolution

Male

Singing

Female

Pain Threshold

Adult

Auditory Perception

Affect
Pubs id:: pubs:380010
UUID:: uuid:2681a1ee-c70f-477b-a92f-4cc10d6507df
Local pid:: pubs:380010
Source identifiers:: 380010
Deposit date:: 2013-11-16
ARK identifier:: ark:/29072/ora_2681a1eec70f477ba92f4cc10d6507df

Licence:: Terms and Conditions of Use for Oxford University Research Archive

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