Behavior
There have been many studies conducted to see the actual difference between listeners of heavy metal and those who choose other types of music; some studies say that music affects one's brain activity but does not influence their behavior or their beliefs. Jeffrey Arnett, a professor at Clark University, has researched the topic of Heavy Metal music and it's influence on youth to come up with a conclusion: adolescents that like heavy metal tend to be more reckless, with "driving behavior, sexual behavior and drug use". By using young males and females between the ages of 16 and 19, they were able to have two different kinds of students, ones that liked Heavy Metal and others that did not. Those who admitted to preferring heavy metal music were considered more "rebellious" by having a higher tendency to have premarital sex, do drugs and drive drunk compared to their peers who do not listen to this genre of music. Arnett's research is used often by many people searching conclusions about how heavy metal and psychology link with one another; even though all of this research has put a negatively light on heavy metal music, it is important to note that there is some link between music and the brain.
Arnett argued that there is a negative influence on today's youth because of heavy metal music; with drugs, sex and rebellion, heavy metal and its underlying message in its lyrics tell adolescents to be angry at the world that they live in, or so many people believe. But another study has shown that this culture and group of people, the metal fans, actually benefit each other because of their taste in music. "Suicide, Self- Harm, and Survival Strategies in Contemporary Heavy Metal Music" studies the criticism and body of research that claims that Heavy Metal Music is at fault for alienation, self- destructive behaviors and suicide. But this research claims that those who listen to heavy metal and socialize with others in the same group actually benefit since the notions of contemporary heavy metal music are "survival, strength, community, and rebellion" (Baker). By listening to this kind of music with other people, heavy metal fans have a force that allows them to be united through the music that gives such strong and difficult emotions. In the UK, where this research took place, one out of ten people have admitted to self harm as a an escape from the issues that they face. By doing a lyrical analysis of several tracks, the author of this article, Charley Baker, verified that this in fact does not influence adolescents to harm themselves but rather to find a sense of relief knowing that others are going through the same turmoil that they are experiencing. Through this research, it is clear that Baker came to the conclusion that heavy metal can have a positive influence on the human mind, by creating a group of people that share musical preferences can help them become closer to each other, and unlike most people think, more sociable.
Beliefs
Personality is more than just how you behave in front of others, one's personality is based on on how act towards others as well as how they act towards their beliefs. "The Psychology of Heavy Metal Communities and White Supremacy" deals with the metal world and the idea that metal music is for Caucasian people/ people of European descent. This study takes a different approach to the psychological influence that heavy metal has on populations. It focuses on white supremacy that the heavy metal culture tends to have and how the media could possibly be a way to lean away from those views that many heavy metal fans have come across. “Racist skinheads” as people now call them, evolved from the 1970’s punk movement and making their community about “them”. Many groups like these have come about since the heavy metal started to become bigger therefore making it easier for these groups to grow and make this genre for “whites only”. This belief has been a huge issue for the metal world, especially those who do not meet this "criteria" because it is considered a racist remark to tell someone they cannot like a certain type of music because of the way he/ she looks. Starting in the 1970's, many bands started stating in their songs the idea of "white supremacy", making minorities feel as if they were not welcomed into the metal world.
Personality
Most studies conducted in previous times have correlated personalities directly with musical preference, but what they haven’t done is directly studied a certain type of music, specifically, heavy metal. In the study, "Metalheads: The Influence of Personality and Individual Differences On Preference For Heavy Metal", participants were asked to listen to ten tracks of music and had to rate them based on their liking. Through this study, they also were asked to measure the Big Five Personality Traits: attitude towards authority, self-confidence, need for uniqueness, and religion. This study showed that those that preferred the “stronger composite” heavy metal track showed a more negative attitude towards authority, lower self-esteem, greater need for uniqueness and not religious. Just like previous studies, this article focuses on the conclusion that has been common throughout various research, that heavy metal affects the personality of those who listen to it.
Photo Credit: Google
There have been many studies conducted to see the actual difference between listeners of heavy metal and those who choose other types of music; some studies say that music affects one's brain activity but does not influence their behavior or their beliefs. Jeffrey Arnett, a professor at Clark University, has researched the topic of Heavy Metal music and it's influence on youth to come up with a conclusion: adolescents that like heavy metal tend to be more reckless, with "driving behavior, sexual behavior and drug use". By using young males and females between the ages of 16 and 19, they were able to have two different kinds of students, ones that liked Heavy Metal and others that did not. Those who admitted to preferring heavy metal music were considered more "rebellious" by having a higher tendency to have premarital sex, do drugs and drive drunk compared to their peers who do not listen to this genre of music. Arnett's research is used often by many people searching conclusions about how heavy metal and psychology link with one another; even though all of this research has put a negatively light on heavy metal music, it is important to note that there is some link between music and the brain.
Arnett argued that there is a negative influence on today's youth because of heavy metal music; with drugs, sex and rebellion, heavy metal and its underlying message in its lyrics tell adolescents to be angry at the world that they live in, or so many people believe. But another study has shown that this culture and group of people, the metal fans, actually benefit each other because of their taste in music. "Suicide, Self- Harm, and Survival Strategies in Contemporary Heavy Metal Music" studies the criticism and body of research that claims that Heavy Metal Music is at fault for alienation, self- destructive behaviors and suicide. But this research claims that those who listen to heavy metal and socialize with others in the same group actually benefit since the notions of contemporary heavy metal music are "survival, strength, community, and rebellion" (Baker). By listening to this kind of music with other people, heavy metal fans have a force that allows them to be united through the music that gives such strong and difficult emotions. In the UK, where this research took place, one out of ten people have admitted to self harm as a an escape from the issues that they face. By doing a lyrical analysis of several tracks, the author of this article, Charley Baker, verified that this in fact does not influence adolescents to harm themselves but rather to find a sense of relief knowing that others are going through the same turmoil that they are experiencing. Through this research, it is clear that Baker came to the conclusion that heavy metal can have a positive influence on the human mind, by creating a group of people that share musical preferences can help them become closer to each other, and unlike most people think, more sociable.
Beliefs
Personality is more than just how you behave in front of others, one's personality is based on on how act towards others as well as how they act towards their beliefs. "The Psychology of Heavy Metal Communities and White Supremacy" deals with the metal world and the idea that metal music is for Caucasian people/ people of European descent. This study takes a different approach to the psychological influence that heavy metal has on populations. It focuses on white supremacy that the heavy metal culture tends to have and how the media could possibly be a way to lean away from those views that many heavy metal fans have come across. “Racist skinheads” as people now call them, evolved from the 1970’s punk movement and making their community about “them”. Many groups like these have come about since the heavy metal started to become bigger therefore making it easier for these groups to grow and make this genre for “whites only”. This belief has been a huge issue for the metal world, especially those who do not meet this "criteria" because it is considered a racist remark to tell someone they cannot like a certain type of music because of the way he/ she looks. Starting in the 1970's, many bands started stating in their songs the idea of "white supremacy", making minorities feel as if they were not welcomed into the metal world.
Personality
Most studies conducted in previous times have correlated personalities directly with musical preference, but what they haven’t done is directly studied a certain type of music, specifically, heavy metal. In the study, "Metalheads: The Influence of Personality and Individual Differences On Preference For Heavy Metal", participants were asked to listen to ten tracks of music and had to rate them based on their liking. Through this study, they also were asked to measure the Big Five Personality Traits: attitude towards authority, self-confidence, need for uniqueness, and religion. This study showed that those that preferred the “stronger composite” heavy metal track showed a more negative attitude towards authority, lower self-esteem, greater need for uniqueness and not religious. Just like previous studies, this article focuses on the conclusion that has been common throughout various research, that heavy metal affects the personality of those who listen to it.
Photo Credit: Google