The Effects of Indian Classical Music on Mood: The Role of Familiarity

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that music, specifically cultural music, can have therapeutic benefits for individuals, such as improved mood. However, there are relatively few studies examining the impact of Indian classical music on mood and how familiarity influences this effect. To address this gap in the literature, we investigated whether listening to Indian classical music affects a person’s mood, and how is this effect influenced by familiarity with the genre. To begin, we created and distributed a survey that played either Indian classical music or white noise, with participants randomized to one of the two conditions, stratified by familiarity with Indian classical music. Then, we measured positive affect with the PANAS Questionnaire and conducted a two-way ANOVA on the positive mood scores. We found there was a main effect of condition, such that music improved positive mood scores more than white noise. There was no main effect of familiarity. That is, familiarity with the music had no effect on positive mood scores. By extension, there was no interaction effect, which means the positive effect of music was consistent across music and white noise. The main effect of the condition aligns with previous studies demonstrating that listening to music improves mood. However, familiarity did not enhance this effect, contrary to our hypotheses and previous literature. Additional studies need to assess the effect of familiarity in a larger, more representative sample. Overall, these findings suggest Indian classical music can be used as a powerful tool in therapeutic settings to improve mood, especially for patients who have not responded to other treatments.