Music helps us relax, allows us to reduce pain and also enhances our productivity. However, not all of its effects are positive, music has a darker side that almost never comes to light but of which we must remain particularly attentive, especially because other people can use it to influence our decisions and manipulate our behavior.
How is music used to manipulate us?
1. Music makes us drink more alcohol
Researchers at the University of Bretagne-Sud wondered if music could motivate people to drink more. Neither quick nor lazy, they agreed with the owners of two bars to manipulate the music heard in their premises. In some cases no music was used at all and in others the tempo and genre were varied. What happened?
After analyzing the behavior of 40 people, the researchers found that music affects the amount of alcohol consumed. The faster the tempo of the music and the higher the volume, the more people drank. Why? These psychologists think that the key is in the level of excitement that music provokes, which makes us drink much faster and, as a consequence, order more drinks in less time. Obviously, this is a strategy that the owners of nightclubs and bars take advantage of to increase consumption.
2. Music motivates us to spend more
There are dozens of factors that influence our purchasing decisions and music is one of them, in fact, it is one of the most important. A curious experiment carried out by researchers at the University of Bretagne-Sud shows us how music affects the amount of money we spend.
On this occasion the psychologists agreed with the owner of a flower shop. Once again, they manipulated the music when customers entered: in some cases there was no music and in others they opted for romantic themes or pop songs. What happened? The results showed without a doubt that the amount of money people spent at the flower shop was greater when romantic music was playing.
Obviously, this is not the only study that has been carried out in this area. Researchers at the University of New South Wales wondered what effect music would have on the amount of money we spend when we go to a restaurant. They discovered that people were willing to order more expensive dishes when there was music playing in the background. In addition, it was also noted that jazz was the genre that most motivated them to spend.
3. Music promotes unethical attitudes
Music can be a very persuasive element, we have already seen it. However, is its influence so powerful as to make us accept unethical behavior? This question was asked by researchers from the Tel-Aviv Yaffo Academic College and they came up with a very interesting way to answer it.
These psychologists recorded a radio advertisement for a non-existent website that encouraged people to alter their documents to obtain a higher pension. Half of the people heard the announcement without music and the other half with a Mozart allegro in the background. Surprisingly, those who heard the ad with music evaluated it more positively.
To verify their results, they repeated the experiment including some variations. This time the alleged website encouraged them to commit exam fraud and one of the advertisements was broadcast with James Brown’s version of the song “I feel good” in the background. All students had to complete a questionnaire assessing their attitude toward dishonesty, only some completed it before hearing the announcement and others after. Once again, those who heard the announcement with the music showed a more agreeable attitude towards dishonesty.
In short, music not only affects our mood but even determines our decisions, although we are not always aware of it. Therefore, it is better to stay vigilant.
References:
Ziv, N. et. Al. (2012) Music and moral judgment: The effect of background music on the evaluation of ads promoting unethical behavior. Psychology of Music 40(6): 738-760.
Jacob, C. et. Al. (2009) ‘Love is in the air’: congruence between background music and goods in a florist. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research ; 19(1): 75-79.
Guéguen, N. et. Al. (2008) Sound level of environmental music and drinking behavior: a field experiment with beer drinkers. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research ; 32(10):1795-1798.
Wilson, s. et. Al. (2003) The Effect of Music on Perceived Atmosphere and Purchase Intentions in a Restaurant. Psychology of Music 31(1): 93-112.
