Synchrony between performer and audience in public music performance: Time-series analyses of psychological, behavioral, and physiological measures

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21492
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cognitive science; Social psychology
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University (2016-2017); Doshisha University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: SHODA Haruka 立命館大学, 総合科学技術研究機構, 研究員 (00724361)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 音楽 / 生演奏 / シンクロニー / 感情 / 身体運動 / 心拍 / 複雑性 / 時系列分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As shown in the words of "music is the language of emotions," one of the functions of music is "communication" of intentions and/or emotions to the receiver (i.e., the audience). In the present study, we explored time-series reactions of performers and audiences in a public-performance situation, where both the agents share the same time and place. Performers' bodily movements become inhibited, their heart rate and heart-rate variability increase, and their physiological complexity decreases, when they experience stronger anxiety in the public performance. The audience's time-series reactions as for bodily movement, perceiving emotional content, and heart rate are inhibited in the public performance rather than the recorded performance via speakers.

Free Research Field

演奏科学，音楽心理学，認知科学，社会心理学