The Effect of Brightness on Listeners’ Perception of Physiological State and Mood of the Music During Listening

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of light condition on physiological state and mood perception of music during listening. Seventy-six participants were assigned randomly to 2 experimental conditions: regular and dim light conditions. Visual analogue scales were used to indicate changes in physiological state and the perceived mood of the music. Participants assessed their physiological state between “relaxed” and “tensed” before and after the music listening. At posttest, they also indicated the perceived mood of the music on a second Visual Analog Scale. Analysis of covariance and analysis of variance were used to analyze the group differences in physiological change and perception of music, respectively. The results indicated that there was a statistical difference in physiological change between the 2 group conditions (P = .005), with greater changes present in the dimmer light condition than in the regular light condition. There was no significant difference in the music mood perception between the groups. These results indicate that brightness may be a significant paravariable in the listening experience. © 2013, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.