Presentation Type
Poster
Full Name of Faculty Mentor
Terry Pettijohn II, Psychology
Major
Psychology
Presentation Abstract
It is a warm, sunny day and you are driving home from work, what music might you play in this situation? How does that differ from a dark and rainy evening? Previous research has established there is a seasonal effect on music preferences (Pettijohn, et al., 2010). This study sought to further assess environmental influences on music preferences via an experimental approach, in which participants were placed in a virtual reality (VR) that simulated either a natural or unnatural environment. While experiencing this VR environment, participants listened to a slow song and a more upbeat song consecutively by the same artist (Billie Eilish), and rated which song better fit their virtual environment. The study found that participants in the natural environment simulation were significantly more likely to select the slower song, while participants in the unnatural environment simulation said that the upbeat song fit better in their environment.
Location
Virtual Poster Session 1
Start Date
21-4-2021 12:00 PM
End Date
21-4-2021 2:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Richardson, Brett, "Billie Eilish and VR: Music Preferences and Environmental Influences" (2021). Undergraduate Research Competition. 65.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/ugrc/2021/fullconference/65
Billie Eilish and VR: Music Preferences and Environmental Influences
Virtual Poster Session 1
It is a warm, sunny day and you are driving home from work, what music might you play in this situation? How does that differ from a dark and rainy evening? Previous research has established there is a seasonal effect on music preferences (Pettijohn, et al., 2010). This study sought to further assess environmental influences on music preferences via an experimental approach, in which participants were placed in a virtual reality (VR) that simulated either a natural or unnatural environment. While experiencing this VR environment, participants listened to a slow song and a more upbeat song consecutively by the same artist (Billie Eilish), and rated which song better fit their virtual environment. The study found that participants in the natural environment simulation were significantly more likely to select the slower song, while participants in the unnatural environment simulation said that the upbeat song fit better in their environment.