Week 2 Summary article intergenerational continuity of taste: parental and adolescent music
preferences
Introduction
●Research on taste has tended to focus on the influence of socio-economic differences in preference for
cultural commodities.
●Taste sociology holds that cultural distinctions solidify group boundaries and legitimize social
inequality; therefore, studying taste is essential to understanding social differentiation.
●Turning to popular music, and the focus of this study, it is well established that variables such as race,
class, gender and school achievement affect music tastes, and music preference can play a crucial role in
the presentation of self, selection of friends and the expression of group identity.
●Interestingly, however, scant attention has been paid to the process of intergenerational transmission
of taste; that is, the influence of parents in the process of acquiring music taste.
●Research has shown the family to be an important context in the acquisition of cultural behavior in
various arena.
The structure of music preference
●The sociology of taste is sensitive to the variable, contextual use of music.
●People draw from a limited reservoir of music that is not only specific to them, but also socially
relevant to their status position. In addition to the qualitative studies of music taste that address
listening situations in detail, another tradition in the sociology and social psychology of music taste
focuses on music preferences as rather stable characteristics of an individual.
●These studies have generally confirmed a four or five-factor structure of styles, including a popular
mainstream pop style, a rock style, Afro-American or urban music, dance music, and an elitist or
highbrow style.
●The existence of these four or five music streams intuitively ties in the history of pop music.
Mainstream pop music emerged and took on a more contemporary form in the 1950s with the advent
of rock n roll and has remained the most popular blend of different types of catchy, easy-on-the-ears,
literally popular music.
●Genres such as soul, hip-hop and R&B, later referred to as urban, surfaced in the 60s and 70s, and rock
in the late 60s and early 70s. Both strands predominantly black and white music show a lengthy and
enduring presence in the history of pop music. Electronic dance music became popular in the late 80s,
building on dance-oriented 70s musical formats such as funk and disco. The existence of highbrow taste,
consisting of a fusion of high-art classical music and newer forms of jazz, is a phenomenon that has also
been observed over the years.
Music preference as a stable person characteristic
●Research has established that the music people listen to during late adolescence and early adulthood
is not only best remembered in later life, but also remains better liked compared to music listened to at
an earlier or later age.
Music preference as a function of gender and class/education
●Gender is an important factor in the development of taste.
●Adolescent music preferences are also related to social class and education.
●An omnivorous affinity for a wide variety of music genres tend to be associated with higher social
status and educational level.
preferences
Introduction
●Research on taste has tended to focus on the influence of socio-economic differences in preference for
cultural commodities.
●Taste sociology holds that cultural distinctions solidify group boundaries and legitimize social
inequality; therefore, studying taste is essential to understanding social differentiation.
●Turning to popular music, and the focus of this study, it is well established that variables such as race,
class, gender and school achievement affect music tastes, and music preference can play a crucial role in
the presentation of self, selection of friends and the expression of group identity.
●Interestingly, however, scant attention has been paid to the process of intergenerational transmission
of taste; that is, the influence of parents in the process of acquiring music taste.
●Research has shown the family to be an important context in the acquisition of cultural behavior in
various arena.
The structure of music preference
●The sociology of taste is sensitive to the variable, contextual use of music.
●People draw from a limited reservoir of music that is not only specific to them, but also socially
relevant to their status position. In addition to the qualitative studies of music taste that address
listening situations in detail, another tradition in the sociology and social psychology of music taste
focuses on music preferences as rather stable characteristics of an individual.
●These studies have generally confirmed a four or five-factor structure of styles, including a popular
mainstream pop style, a rock style, Afro-American or urban music, dance music, and an elitist or
highbrow style.
●The existence of these four or five music streams intuitively ties in the history of pop music.
Mainstream pop music emerged and took on a more contemporary form in the 1950s with the advent
of rock n roll and has remained the most popular blend of different types of catchy, easy-on-the-ears,
literally popular music.
●Genres such as soul, hip-hop and R&B, later referred to as urban, surfaced in the 60s and 70s, and rock
in the late 60s and early 70s. Both strands predominantly black and white music show a lengthy and
enduring presence in the history of pop music. Electronic dance music became popular in the late 80s,
building on dance-oriented 70s musical formats such as funk and disco. The existence of highbrow taste,
consisting of a fusion of high-art classical music and newer forms of jazz, is a phenomenon that has also
been observed over the years.
Music preference as a stable person characteristic
●Research has established that the music people listen to during late adolescence and early adulthood
is not only best remembered in later life, but also remains better liked compared to music listened to at
an earlier or later age.
Music preference as a function of gender and class/education
●Gender is an important factor in the development of taste.
●Adolescent music preferences are also related to social class and education.
●An omnivorous affinity for a wide variety of music genres tend to be associated with higher social
status and educational level.
