REFLECTIVE WRITING (WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE)

FULL NAME: V L Nguyn Khang STUDENT ID: 2150400

No. of words: 1366
Please use this evaluation sheet to write a summary essay of around 1,000 words demonstrating
your understanding as well as critical thinking, reading and writing of the main points of the journal
articles you have prepare for your presentation. More sources to be used for your paper
(introduction/ discussion, etc) would be welcome. You are expected to summarize and discuss the
main points of the articles as follows:
Introduction
This particular paper aim to investigate the impact of music on human emotion based on
assessments toward music of participants who were randomly assigned. There are four articles
included in this paper, each conveys its own distinct significant purposes to clarify. Mitchells
article and Stumbrass artricle were conducted in both qualitative and quantitative methodology as
she applied questionnaire and interview in her investigation. Johnsons article (n.d.) was conducted
on only quantitative methodology. McCratys investigation was applied in quantitative methodology.
All articles generally had limitations as it is possible personal taste in music as well as popularized
opinions concerning the beneficial of detrimental effects of different musical geners may have led to
expectancy effects, which could have influenced the results.
Body
Music is a moral law, the soul of the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a
charm to sadness, gaiety, and life to everything and it is the essence of order and lends to all that is
good and just and beautiful according to Plato. To this end, people even from ancient have been in
general perceived the significant of music in daily life. Nowadays, perception on music has been
scientifically and widespread asserted and perceived. For instance, Meyer (1956) stated that music is
long ago proposed as a natural stimulus which partially or wholly holds our attention away from
certain pain efficiently. Any particular piece of sounds or rhythms will build up a temporary
suspense then capture our attention. In line with him, it is asserted that mental resources can be
reduced by a distracted task which results in pain allocation (Shriffin, 1998; Shiffrin and Schneider,
1977), despite of the fact pain completely holds our attention (Crombez, Eccleston & Eelen, 1988),
concentration on other stimuli results in displacement of pain, therefore, stress is reduced. All the
articles firmly indicated the significant efficiency on human emotional.
In Mitchells article An experimental investigation of the effects of preferred and relaxing
music listening on pain perception, 54 participants in age from 18-51 which consisted of 34
females and 20 males were randomly assigned to investigate the effects of music on painful
perception and tolerance to undergo cold pressor pain while listening to preferred music relaxing
music and white noise- a mixed sound combining from countless of sounds or a low sounds
frequency, in particular, fans sound is a white noise. Firstly, the investigation started initially singed
a consent form to assure qualified health condition. Secondly, the participants were asked to carry
along a favorite piece of music. Then, they immersed their non-dominant hands into warm water (32
Celsius Degree) - to keep their hand as similar in temperature as possible. After that, they were
asked to transfer the hand to a circulating water bath at 5 Celsius Degree and to leave it there until
its too uncomfortable to continue. Each immersion trial had 5-minute break, at meantime, each trial
listen to only one type of music. In findings, the conductors figured out that no significant
differences in rating between the white noise and relaxing music condition. The preferred music
listening condition resulted significantly in longer tolerance time than the white noise and relaxing
music condition. No vital differences among three conditions in the male participants for pain
intensity ratings and no prominent effects in gender. No significant disparity in all three conditions
for males. On the other hand, theres a significant difference between white noise and preferred
music for females. This particular investigation rely on reliable questionnaire, the number infer from
it is slight absence of statistically precise value as stats was collected through visual analog scale

In the rest 3 articles, the purpose of them in general is to infer assessments of responses in
changes in human emotion, except for Stumbrass article, physiological responses is also included.
The least participants compared to others is Stumbrass research with total of them is 10 that
consists of 6 females and 4 males. Come second to this field is Johnsons investigation with 34
young adults in total with 30 females and 4 males. Come last and have the most participants as well
is McCratys investigation with 144 participants in number consists of 50 males and 94 females.
They applied a highly reliable questionnaire for their own investigations. Their methodologies in
general conducted investigations by collecting data, in particular, responses of participants which
resulted from music to emotion and physiology. By applying listening test throughout the
investigation, they recorded all participants descriptions of changes in emotion whose physiological
changes resulted in were also recorded in Stumbrass investigation.

Their methodologies share a same field and indicated firmly evidences of the efficient of
impacts on changes resulted from music on human emotion, but their work partially related to
physiological responses which resulted from both music and emotional responses. Iwanaga (1999)
indicated firmly that some physiological activity like respiratory activity, blood pressure, blood
circulation , ascended significantly as arousing music in comparison with calm music. Also, it has
been proved that distinct cardiorespiratory activities are linked to basic emotions (Rainville et al,
2005). In line with Iwanaga, it has been proved that listening to music or rhythms can shortened
levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline as well as the ascendant in levels
of atrial natriuretic peptide, a potent antihypertensive hormone which was produced by the atria of
the heart (Mockel L, Stork T, Vollert J et al, 1995). To this end, emotional factors can wholly and
partially inflict significant impacts on emotion of human whose is affected by music. In view of
those investigations, significant impacts of music can inflict whether negatively and positively on
physiology over the effects of emotion which is resulted from music. For instance, as someone is at
his peak of anger, his heart race will gradually increasing, the blood pressure also enhance as which
regarding to respiratory. On the contrary, when someones inner thought reach peace and calmness,
the respiratory is slow as well as the heart race. Those researches also indicated that gender did
make significant effects on the result. The role of individual like gender have significant efficiency
on human tolerance whose findings to date regarding to gender disparity in pain tolerance havent
completely consistent (Fillingim & Ness, 2000). By using experimentally induced pain, Berkely
(1997) found females tend to be more sensitive to painful stimuli and tolerance. That is to say, the
attention to stimuli of women in painful tolerance is more sensitive than mens in comparison. It can
be inferred from this is women undisputedly benefits more than man do in comparison to tolerance
pain while listening to music.
 All 4 articles indicated firmly with persuasively evidences that music does inflict significant
impacts on human both positively and negatively on both physiological and emotional aspect. Also,
to those applied questionnaire, it is highly resemble and reliable enough to assert their results
without reading it with caution for readers. But those researches do contain limitation in both
subjective and objective results. For subjective reason, the disparity in sensitively painful stimuli of
women and women is obvious as it is natural. It cant be disputed any further. Also, individual
factors are included due to difference in pain tolerance, not to mention the difference in gender. For
objective results, the limitation in number of participants cant be denied as only a few of them is
selected and assigned that partially induce to the changes in results.

Conclusion
Music, even rhythms or beats, certainly significantly contributes to the changes of emotional
and physiological state of human. Despite the variety in methodology those investigations are
conducted by researchers, they did make themselves clear as indicating firmly how significance can
music inflict on human whether negatively or positively. The data the conductor collected in their
paper can be utilized for further investigations in the future due to its reliability.

Reference
Mitchell, L. A., & MacDonald, R. A. (2006). An experimental investigation of the effects of
preferred and relaxing music listening on pain perception. Journal of Music Therapy, 43(4), 295-
316. Retrieved from December, 20.
Stumbras, A., Sullivan, K., Barthakur, S., Jilot, B., & Robertson, N. (2013). The effect of
song lyrics on the emotional and physiological response to music. University of Wisconsin-
Madison. Retrieved from December, 20.
McCraty, R., Barrios-Choplin, B., Atkinson, M., & Tomasino, D. (1998). The effects of
different types of music on mood, tension, and mental clarity. Alternative therapies in health and
medicine, 4(1), 75-84. Retrieved from December, 20.
Johnson, A. (n.d). Tune into your mood: The effects of music on mood. California State
University, Northridge. Retrieved from December, 20.