Valentine’s Special: How we are attracted to people based on music taste
7th February 2018Imagine meeting someone that ticks all your boxes and then finding out they like ‘Despacito’. It may be harder to digest than that last packet of biscuits you ate. Now for the age-old question: do opposites attract? How about when it comes to music? Olimpus, Malta’s go-to music shop, has taken a look at the debated link between music taste and attraction.
Identity
Before getting to attraction, what does our music taste say about our own personality? According to researchers, more than we think. While there’s much more to us than our music preference, our taste certainly reflects aspects of our personality.
With international stereotypes including heavy metal lovers being aggressive and rebellious, while intellectuals being drawn to classical and jazz. Many people, especially during their teenage years when they are finding their identity, define themselves based on what music they listen to.
Values
Discovering the music that tickles a person’s eardrums seems to reveal a lot, not only about their personality. A study in the Psychology of Music found that music is also a good reflection of our values, which is why we are drawn more to people who have the same taste.
Rock is often correlated with rebelliousness and individuality, while pop is connected to values related to conforming.
Music evokes emotion and expresses values. Lyrics send social messages. Thus, listening to particular musical styles may say something about the listener’s values. On top of that, when we find out that someone shares our musical interests, that increases how much we like them. This research suggests that often, we are curious about people’s musical preference because their taste serves as an easy indicator of whether we are likely to be similar which in turn, will influence how much we like them.
Attraction
Research also shows that your taste in music can actually have an influence on how attractive others perceive you. According to a study published by ‘Communication Research’, what affects attraction in one gender may not necessarily apply for the other. Curiously, while women did not seem affected by whether a man shared their taste in music or not, men were strongly attracted to women who liked the same music they did.
However, there is consensus according to this study, in that being a country music fan reduces the sex appeal of both genders.
Whether or not finding people more attractive based on their taste in music applies to you, one thing is sure. You will spend more quality time and have more opportunities to bond if you frequent the same bars and music festivals together. Music evokes emotion, and with Valentine’s day around the corner, there is no better time to test whether you and your partner are compatible, at least musically.
So whether you are all loved up with a fellow human or your main passion is music, head to Olimpus – leading music shop in Malta, where you can find whatever your heart desires this Valentine’s, be it musical instruments, equipment or simply inspiration.
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates!