Personality dimensions of preadolescent students AS predictors s of music preference variables

The aim of this research was to examine the contribution of personality dimensions in explaining certain music preference variables (mellow, campestral, sophisticated, intense and urban music) among preadolescent students. Using the method of transverse section, the research included 114 students from Valjevo, age 13-16 (AM = 15,48 years of age; SD = 1,12). The two measuring instruments were used: Big Five Inventory - BFI (Benet-Martinez & John, 1998) and Music Preference Scale (Rentfrow et al., 2012). The values of Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicate that there is satisfactory reliability of the internal consistency type, and that BFI can be used in future research on Serbian student population. Statistical analysis was performed using the descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and the multiple regression model. Correlation analysis indicates that there is statistically significant positive intercorrelation between the dimensions of low and moderate intensity of the music preferences and Big Five personality traits. The obtained results of the multiple regression show that the predictors of the Big Five personality traits, with relatively minimal percentage of total variance (12% to 33%), contribute significantly to explaining the variability of the criterion variance of music preferences towards mellow, intense and urban music. In addition, openness (b = .41, p < .01) and conscientiousness (b = .34, p < .01) are revealed to be dominant independent predictors, on the level of p < .01. The empirical data found in this research are in accordance with the results of previous researches and indicate that there is theoretical significance and practical implications of the adolescents' personality traits which have relevant influence on music preference dimensions.