The effect of music listening style on music-induced analgesia

Abstract

Music listening may decrease pain via psychobiological mechanisms. Music listening style (MLS) influences music processing: Music empathizers (ME) focus on emotional aspects of music, whereas music systemizers (MS) focus on structural aspects, potentially affecting processes of music-induced analgesia. The effects of the MLS on music-induced analgesia might depend on the source of music selection (i.e. who selects the music) and gender. Different psychological mechanisms, such as stimulus-induced emotions and subjective stress, might mediate the effects of an empathizing versus systemizing MLS on pain. The purpose of this study was (a) to test how MLS influences pain during music listening, depending on the source of music selection and gender, and (b) to explore underlying psychological mechanisms. 61 participants (age: M = 24.23, SD = 3.85; four groups: male/female ME/MS) listened to stimuli (participant-selected/researcher-selected music/control) during cold pressor tests. Pain intensity, pain tolerance, and psychological mechanisms (stimulus-induced emotions, subjective stress) were repeatedly measured. Multilevel and mediation analyses were conducted. The MLS did not directly influence pain, but female ME were most pain sensitive with participant-selected music. Pain was tolerated longest for participant-selected music. The effect of MLS on pain intensity was not mediated by stimulus-induced emotions but by subjective stress. Our results indicate that music increases pain tolerance the most when participants select it. However, we found initial evidence that women scoring high on ME show increased pain when listening to their self-selected music. We also found initial evidence for the importance of subjective stress as a potential mechanism in the context of music-based pain management.