Effects of music on the perception of paintings
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1998
Publication Source
Empirical Studies of the Arts
Abstract
This study tested the influence of musical style on observers' perceptions of representational and abstract paintings. Participants were thirty-six male and thirty-six female undergraduates who viewed eight paintings under one of three listening conditions: matching, non-matching, or no music. Participants rated each painting on four semantic-differential scales. Mean ratings were compared using MANOVAs. An interaction of painting style and listening condition (Wilks' lambda = .780, p < .05) showed participants' aesthetic experience of viewing the paintings was intensified when the paintings were accompanied by matching music. A main effect for music style (Wilks' lambda = .718, p < .01) showed participants thought all paintings were less active and more beautiful when accompanied by the impressionist music. There were no significant effects for gender.
Inclusive pages
33-39
ISBN/ISSN
ISSN 0276-2374; eISSN 1541-4493
Volume
16
Issue
1
Peer Reviewed
yes
Keywords
Experimental Aesthetics, Paintings, Music
eCommons Citation
Limbert, Wendy M. and Polzella, Donald J., "Effects of music on the perception of paintings" (1998). Psychology Faculty Publications. 103.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/psy_fac_pub/103
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