An Investigation of Leblanc's Theory of Music Preference: The Relationship of Selected Music Responses and Listener Attributes to Music Preference

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between music preference and the four variables of (a) musical experience, (b) current affective state, (c) familiarity, and (d) affective response. The study was based on and an outgrowth of Le Blanc's (1982) "interactive theory of music preference." One hundred-and-sixteen college undergraduate students listened to five musical excerpts and recorded their responses of preference, familiarity, and strength of affect elicited by the music. Prior to hearing the music, subjects recorded how many years of musical experience they had, and rated their current affective state. The data were analyzed using a multiple regression program, with preference as the dependent variable, and (a) years of musical experience, (b) current affective state, (c) familiarity, (d) affective response as the independent variables. Results from the analysis indicated that familiarity correlated most highly with preference, followed closely by affective response. Together, these two variables accounted for a highly significant (38%, p .001) amount of variance in music preference. The other two variables correlated positively, but not significantly, with music preference. Analysis of responses to each separate musical selection supported the consistency of the results of the combined analysis, in that no individual selection yielded results contrary to the comined results.

Note: LeBlanc's-theory-of-music-preference.

Keyword(s): music-preference, music-responses, listener, listening, college-student, affect, affective-response.

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