Music Education Fosters Sociality

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H01991
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Education on school subjects and activities
• Research Institution: Nara University of Education
• Principal Investigator: Fukui Hajime 奈良教育大学, 音楽教育講座, 教授 (10199185)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 豊島 久美子 大阪樟蔭女子大学, 児童学部, 講師 (00565450) ; 小川 容子 岡山大学, 教育学研究科, 教授 (20283963) ; 森下 修次 新潟大学, 人文社会・教育科学系, 准教授 (80323947) ; 高岸 治人 玉川大学, 付置研究所, 助教 (90709370) ; 辻井 啓之 奈良教育大学, 学内共同利用施設等, 教授 (60227402) ; 高須 一 玉川大学, 芸術学部, 教授 (10236218) ; 服部 安里 奈良教育大学, 教育学部, 研究員 (20790629)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 音楽教育 / 経済ゲーム / ステロイドホルモン / 共感性 / 利他性 / 脳画像研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Music education has been questioned about the significance of its existence. However, we could not show scientific and academic grounds for the necessity of music class.
In this research, using music pedagogy, behavioral endocrinology, behavioral genetics, brain function imaging method, we investigated that music activate the brain of junior high school students and adjust biochemical substances involved in social behavior, so that increase empathy and altruism. As a result of research, when listening to favorite music, activities in areas related to brain's empathy and altruism were activated, and at the same time, the allocation amount in economic games increased.
Fostering sociality is an urgent educational task and this research proved that music education can foster sociality.

Free Research Field

音楽行動内分泌学