Week 7 Summary article The content and validity of music-genre stereotypes among college
students
•In this work, we aim to evaluate the validity of the belief that music preferences can serve as a clue
to a person’s character. To this end, we examine the content and validity of stereotypes about fans
of various music genres. This work seeks to address three specific questions:
-Are there stereotypes about fans of different music genres?
-What is the content of the stereotype?
-Are they accurate?
Music as a vehicle for self-expression
•Music is commonly used in the service of self-expression.
•Why are individuals, particularly young people, compelled to use music in the service of self-
expression? What personal information might they be trying to communicate?
•There are at least two types of information that individuals may be communicating through their
music preferences. First, they may be conveying information about their personal qualities.
•Second, they might communicate one’s membership in a particular group through music
preferences.
•Research in sociology suggest some links between music preferences and memberships in certain
groups.
•Whether to communicate information about personal qualities or membership in a particular group
(or both), using music in the service of self-expression clearly could reveal a wide variety of
information about who a person is. What is less clear is whether music preferences really do
communicate information about one’s character.
•The few studies that have examined this issue suggest that music preference information can
influence how an individual is perceived.
Overview of current research
•The primary goal of the current research was to examine the information communicated through
music preferences, with a particular interest in music/genre stereotypes. We were interested in
determining whether individuals share similar stereotypes about people who listen to certain styles
of music; the content of the music-genre stereotypes and; whether the stereotypes about the fans of
the different music genres were accurate.
•Study 1 was designed to examine the content of various music-genre stereotypes and the extent to
which individuals agree about which characteristics are associated with fans of particular music
genres. Study 2 extended the work from study 1 by examine the validity of each of the music-genre
stereotypes.
Study 1: Agreement about the content and uniqueness of music stereotypes.
•The aim of this study was to examine agreement about the content and uniqueness of stereotypes
associated with the fans of various music genres.
•We were interested in whether individuals associate different psychological characteristics with the
fans of various music genres. Therefore, we examined the stereotypes about music fans’
personalities, personal qualities and values. Additionally, since it is fairly common for certain
musicians and bands to advocate the use of intoxicating substances in their music, we examined the
stereotypes about the drug and alcohol preferences of the various music fans.
•The results revealed that there are robust and specific stereotypes associated with different music
genres.
•Thus, individuals appear to agree considerably about the personalities, person qualitative, values,
and alcohol and drug preferences of the different music fans.
students
•In this work, we aim to evaluate the validity of the belief that music preferences can serve as a clue
to a person’s character. To this end, we examine the content and validity of stereotypes about fans
of various music genres. This work seeks to address three specific questions:
-Are there stereotypes about fans of different music genres?
-What is the content of the stereotype?
-Are they accurate?
Music as a vehicle for self-expression
•Music is commonly used in the service of self-expression.
•Why are individuals, particularly young people, compelled to use music in the service of self-
expression? What personal information might they be trying to communicate?
•There are at least two types of information that individuals may be communicating through their
music preferences. First, they may be conveying information about their personal qualities.
•Second, they might communicate one’s membership in a particular group through music
preferences.
•Research in sociology suggest some links between music preferences and memberships in certain
groups.
•Whether to communicate information about personal qualities or membership in a particular group
(or both), using music in the service of self-expression clearly could reveal a wide variety of
information about who a person is. What is less clear is whether music preferences really do
communicate information about one’s character.
•The few studies that have examined this issue suggest that music preference information can
influence how an individual is perceived.
Overview of current research
•The primary goal of the current research was to examine the information communicated through
music preferences, with a particular interest in music/genre stereotypes. We were interested in
determining whether individuals share similar stereotypes about people who listen to certain styles
of music; the content of the music-genre stereotypes and; whether the stereotypes about the fans of
the different music genres were accurate.
•Study 1 was designed to examine the content of various music-genre stereotypes and the extent to
which individuals agree about which characteristics are associated with fans of particular music
genres. Study 2 extended the work from study 1 by examine the validity of each of the music-genre
stereotypes.
Study 1: Agreement about the content and uniqueness of music stereotypes.
•The aim of this study was to examine agreement about the content and uniqueness of stereotypes
associated with the fans of various music genres.
•We were interested in whether individuals associate different psychological characteristics with the
fans of various music genres. Therefore, we examined the stereotypes about music fans’
personalities, personal qualities and values. Additionally, since it is fairly common for certain
musicians and bands to advocate the use of intoxicating substances in their music, we examined the
stereotypes about the drug and alcohol preferences of the various music fans.
•The results revealed that there are robust and specific stereotypes associated with different music
genres.
•Thus, individuals appear to agree considerably about the personalities, person qualitative, values,
and alcohol and drug preferences of the different music fans.
