阅读理解
For many, music is as important to the human
experience as eating and breathing. We hear music everywhere—at home, the gym, parties
and stores. But what kind of music do we prefer to listen to, and when and why do
our musical preferences change?
The relationship between the change of seasons
and musical preferences was the focus of a study led by psychologist Terry Pettijohn.
He and his team based their research on a previous study that examined the relationship
between popular music preferences and the Environmental Security Hypothesis(假设). The results showed that over time, when
social and financial conditions were more risky, the songs of the year that were
slower, longer, more comforting and serious were most popular. And during periods
in which social and financial conditions were generally stable, the result was opposite.
Building on these findings, Pettijohn and
his team wondered if the Hypothesis could also be applied to the change of seasons.
For college students, the participants in this study, autumn begins at the start
of the school year. Gone are the carefree days of summer, when school is out. Winter
means colder temperatures, shorter days, and, in many places in the country, snow.
Spring, however, is a different story. It represents a fresh start and when clocks
spring forward, we gain an extra hour of daylight. As students walk into summer,
they're absorbed in the sunshine and social activities—and enjoy a break from school.
But do changing seasonal conditions influence
musical preferences? To answer this question, the researchers designed two studies.
What did they find? Both groups of college students favored more serious music during
the seasons of fall and winter, and more active and energetic music during the spring
and summer seasons. And these findings, Pettijohn argues, have practical significances.