Whether it’s a slow love song or an upbeat dance anthem, songs have a unique way of evoking emotions in people.
Now, scientists have revealed exactly where in the body different types of music are felt.
Not surprisingly, sad songs evoke a reaction in the heart and the pit of the stomach.
On the other hand, according to researchers at the Turku PET Center in Finland, aggressive songs can really get your head hot.
“The effects of music on the body are universal,” says Vesa Putkinen, lead author of the study.
Music is often referred to as a “universal language,” and research has shown that people across cultures can’t help but be moved when they hear their favorite songs.
However, until now, little research has been conducted on how music evokes physical sensations across cultures.
In the new study, the research team recruited 2,000 participants. Half of them were from Europe or North America, and the other half were from China.
Participants were shown a silhouette of the human body and asked to indicate which body parts they thought would be activated in response to different styles of music.
The results revealed that different styles of music have very different physical sensations.
Sad and gentle songs were felt in the head, chest, and solar plexus, while scary and aggressive songs were felt primarily in the head.
On the other hand, the happy, danceable songs were both felt in my head and feet.
Researchers also found that the emotional and physical sensations evoked by music were similar between Western and Asian listeners.
“Certain acoustic features of music were associated with similar emotions in both Western and Asian listeners,” said Professor Lauri Numenmar, co-author of the research paper.
“Music with a clear beat was considered happy and danceable, while dissonance in music was associated with aggression.
“Because these sensations are similar across cultures, the emotions evoked by music may be independent of culture or learning, and may be based on inherited biological mechanisms.”
The researchers say the findings suggest that music may have emerged as a way to promote social interaction.
“People are interested in music in all cultures, and synchronization of posture, movement, and vocalizations are universal signs of affinity,” said Dr. Putkinen.
“Music may have emerged during human evolution to promote social interaction and a sense of community by synchronizing listeners’ bodies and emotions.”