The Psychology of Music: A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

Music has been examined from multiple perspectives: as a product of human history, for example, or a product of human culture. But there is also a long tradition, intensified in recent decades, of thinking about music as a product of the human mind. Whether considering composition, performance, listening, or appreciation, the constraints and capabilities of the human mind play a formative role. The field that has emerged around this approach is known as the psychology of music.

Written in a lively and accessible manner, this volume connects the science to larger questions about music that are of interest to practicing musicians, music therapists, musicologists, and the general public alike. For example: Why can one musical performance move an audience to tears, and another compel them to dance, clap, or snap along? How does a hype playlist motivate someone at the gym? And why is that top-40 song stuck in everyone's head?

ABOUT THE SERIES:TheVery Short Introductionsseries from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

List of illustrations
Acknowledgments

1. The art and science of music psychology
2. The biological origins of music
3. Music as language
4. Listening in time
5. The psychology of music performance
6. Human musicality
7. The appetite for music
8. The future of the psychology of music

References
Further Reading
Index

[The Psychology of Music] is a vivid account of a theoretically intricate field, rich in pertinent examples. Margulis?s excellent survey may be read as an invitation to be more open to other fields of investigation and disciplines that appló