Visual Congruency of Performers’ Movements Enhances Vocal Music Reward through Mu Entrainment

Abstract There is emerging evidence that a performer’s body movements may enhance music-induced pleasure. However, the neural mechanism underlying such modulation remains largely unexplored. This study utilized behavioral, psychophysiological and electroencephalographic data collected from 32 listeners (analyzed sample = 31) as they watched and listened to vocal (Mandarin lyrics) and violin performances of pop music videos. None were familiar with Mandarin, and none had significant training in string instruments. Stimuli featured either congruent or incongruent audiovisual parings within the same instrument. We found that congruent visual movements, as opposed to incongruent ones, significantly increased both subjective pleasure ratings and skin conductance responses. While Mu-band power suppression occurred in the presence of visual movements regardless of congruency; congruent movements enhanced the coherence between the music envelope and Mu-band oscillations (so-called Mu entrainment). Effect sizes for both measures were greater for vocal than violin music, though no interaction was observed. Mediation analysis demonstrated that Mu entrainment to vocal music significantly mediated the visual modulation of music-induced pleasure, and that this effect occurs primarily for familiar vocal rather than unfamiliar violin movements. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that congruent visual movements enhance music pleasure by promoting Mu entrainment, potentially through sensorimotor integration mechanisms.