Examining the relationship between music preference and personality type

Abstract

There is a growing amount of research demonstrating a relationship between music preference and personality, The aim of the current research is to extend the previous findings for the first time to an Irish Sample. This study also examined the effect of age on the relationship between music preference and personality type. This study of 109 participants living in Ireland, used the Short Test of Musical Preferences as designed by Rentfrow and Gosling(2003), to assess the kinds of music participants preferred, and the Big Five Inventory to examine individuals personality structures. The sample was made up of a convenience sample of psychology students attending Dublin Business School, and other participants who completed the survey online. The results of this study indicated that there is a correlation between some music preference factors (Reflective/complex, Intense/Rebellious, Energetic and Rhythmic) and some personality traits (Openness, Extraversion), which generally confirmed previous research. The effects of age were inconclusive. Author keywords: Music, personality