Abstract
Music listening in daily life is associated with stress-reducing effects on the individual with increasing effects when music listening occurs in a social context. As little is known about effects on couples, we investigated whether beneficial effects can be found in couples. Forty heterosexual couples were investigated using ambulatory assessment. Participants completed six assessments on music listening and subjective stress per day for five consecutive days. With each assessment, saliva samples for the later analysis of cortisol and alpha-amylase were collected. Music listening affected biopsychological stress markers in women and men, however in different ways: While music listening reduced cortisol in women, it increased alpha-amylase in men. Dyadic effects of music listening on stress markers were found. Men showed lower secretion of cortisol if women listened to music which was more pronounced when couples shared musical preferences. Both men and women showed higher alpha-amylase activity when their partner had listened to music. Music listening influences couples’ psychobiological stress levels in a sex-dependent manner with evidence of dyadic co-variation in physiological responses to music. Interventions for promoting stress reduction should consider that women and men differ in their use of music in everyday life.
Highlights
Music listening in daily life is associated with stress-reducing effects on the individual with increasing effects when music listening occurs in a social context
That in accordance to previous studies on biopsychological mechanisms underlying the effects of music listening, we found discrepancies between subjective reports on stress and salivary cortisol (sCort) secretion and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity[8,9]
Whereas we did not find an effect of music listening on subjective stress, we found a down-regulation of HPA axis activity and up-regulation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity
Summary
Music listening in daily life is associated with stress-reducing effects on the individual with increasing effects when music listening occurs in a social context. In three recent reviews[4,6,7], psychobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of music listening have been reviewed based on experimental studies with evidence pointing to music listening being associated with a down-regulation of HPA axis and ANS activity and beneficial effects on immune system activity. Www.nature.com/scientificreports in daily life as music listening in the presence of others (as compared to music listening in solitude) was associated with attenuated stress levels[9] and increases in positive affect[10]. Research on mechanisms underlying the health benefits of social relationships proposes that social support buffers the detrimental effects of stress on health[12] This protective effect seems to be mediated by the activity of HPA axis and the ANS. Positive couple interactions could be one stress-reducing strategy as these have been associated with reduced levels of cortisol and subjective stress on both members of the dyad[17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
