Effects of Visual and Spatial Factors on Classical Music Listening: A Systematic Review

This paper presents a systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, synthesising evidence on how visual and spatial features of classical concert settings—such as performer visibility, seating position and sightlines, stage layout, lighting, and vibrotactile cues—shape listeners’ engagement and judgments. RILM, APA PsycNet, PubMed, and Scopus were searched for peer-reviewed experimental studies that manipulated or compared visual/spatial dimensions and reported subjective or physiological outcomes relevant to live, non-amplified contexts. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened, and data were extracted and analysed with respect to study design, stimulus environment, outcome measures, and main effects. Heterogeneity across studies precluded meta-analysis; therefore, a narrative synthesis was conducted. A total of 23 publications—22 experiments and one meta-analysis—met the inclusion criteria: the reviewed studies primarily examined issues related to visual presence and spatial configuration. Most studies relied on laboratory or home-based audiovisual reproductions, with only one study collecting data in a naturalistic performance setting. The evidence is limited by methodological heterogeneity, the predominance of simulated environments, and variability in outcome measures. Overall, visual and spatial factors substantially shape classical music listening and the audience experience, underscoring the need for more field-based and methodologically standardised research.