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July 26, 2026Imagination Cognition and PersonalityOpen Access

Basslines, Bodies, and Beehive Haircuts: What do we think about when we listen to music?

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Authors

HWHazel A van der WalleEMElizabeth Hellmuth MargulisKJKelly Jakubowski

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Overview

Mixed-methods analysis uncovers interconnected mental content shaped by music in listeners, suggesting implications for creativity and wellbeing.

Key Points

  • The aim is to introduce Music-Influenced Mental Content (MIMC) as a framework for understanding the diverse mental processes influenced by music.
  • Analyzed free-response MIMC descriptions from 1,786 participants aged 18-75 in the UK and US.
  • Participants listened to 10 instrumental clips from 120 genres, including Ambient, Classical, and Jazz.
  • Employed mixed-method qualitative and network analyses of 14,091 MIMC descriptions.
  • Identified three themes of MIMC: Narrational, Referential, and Experiential.
  • Revealed that MIMC represents an interconnected system rather than isolated content types.
  • Illustrated that musical diversity influences varied mental content, enhancing understanding of cognition and creativity.

Cite This Study

Walle et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a65a501d3aea3239cd7739chttps://doi.org/10.1177/02762366261465337
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