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Listening to ironically-enjoyed music: A self-regulatory perspective

van den Tol, Annemieke, Giner-Sorolla, Roger (2016) Listening to ironically-enjoyed music: A self-regulatory perspective. Psychology of Music, 45 (3). pp. 321-337. ISSN 0305-7356. E-ISSN 1741-3087. (doi:10.1177/0305735616658956) (KAR id:60644)

Abstract

This research examines adults’ reported motivations for listening to music that they enjoy ironically. In a pilot (N = 96) and main (N = 175) studies, open-ended responses from adults were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Based on the pilot study, ironically enjoyed music was defined as “Music that is enjoyed because of being bad, despite being bad, or for different reasons than intended.” Although many relevant self-regulatory functions of listening to music in general were also relevant to ironically- enjoyed music, it also emerged that ironic enjoyment of music has characteristics that are unique to it: the additional role of mocking, ridiculing, and laughing at the music, and the social benefit that this provides. Music that was listened to “because of” its negative features had a variety of musical features, and the listening usually served functions unique to ironic enjoyment of music, such as mockery. When music was listened to “despite” negative qualities, the music itself was often described as having attractive rhythm, melody or lyrics, while the irony protected the listener from conflicting values associated with the music, helping the listener communicate to others that they did not identify with the music on a higher level. Unfamiliar music mainly played a social role, whereas familiar music related to nostalgia as well as most other functions.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/0305735616658956
Uncontrolled keywords: psychology, music, ironic enjoyment, irony, self-regulation, emotion regulation
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Roger Giner-Sorolla
Date Deposited: 02 Mar 2017 10:44 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 10:54 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/60644 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Giner-Sorolla, Roger.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6690-8842
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