The Effects of Musical Elements on Emotional Arousal in College Students

This study aims to investigate the effects of musical elements on emotional arousal levels in college students. A total of 22 undergraduate students participated in the experiment, and their emotional states before and after listening to different musical excerpts were assessed using the Chinese Mood Adjective Checklist (CMACL). The results showed significant changes in the "Pain and Sadness" dimension after listening to Musical Work 1 and Musical Work 2 (p < 0.001). In contrast, no significant differences in emotional responses were observed after listening to Musical Work 3 (χ² = 1.41, p = 0.312) or Musical Work 4 (χ² = 5.946, p = 0.111). The findings indicate that music with a fast tempo, higher pitch register, and dense rhythmic structure can effectively enhance emotional arousal, whereas music with a slow tempo, lower pitch register, and sparse rhythm is more likely to evoke contemplative and sad emotions. In addition, lyrical content plays a clear cueing and guiding role in shaping emotional experiences.