Personality Type and Music Taste

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Think back to a time when someone insulted your favorite musician or band. Did you take it personally? Recent research suggests that an individual’s favorite music genre is closely related to their personality traits. Professor Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University located in Edinburgh, UK, conducted a study that shows the correlation between musical tastes and personality type. North is an expert in music psychology and he has carried out extensive research on the psychology of music in the social aspect. Specifically, he has studied the relationship between pop music culture and why some adolescents may behave defiantly y when growing up. Professor Adrian North has been able to also make correlations that connect consumer behavior, and how music plays an important role in our lifestyles.

Over the past few years, Professor North has conducted a worldwide study that links musical taste and your unique personality. North asked participants to rate over one hundred different genres of music, followed by a series of personality-based questions. More than 36,000 people in over 60 countries participated in the survey to find out if there were in fact correlations between personality traits and their music taste.

Blues fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Gentle
• At ease

Jazz fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Outgoing
• At ease

Classical fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Introverted
• At ease

Rap fans:

• High self-esteem
• Outgoing

Opera fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Gentle.

Country and western fans:

• Hardworking
• Outgoing.

Reggae fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Not hardworking
• Outgoing
• Gentle
• At ease

Dance fans:

• Creative
• Outgoing
• Not gentle.

Indie fans:

• Low self esteem
• Creative
• Not hard working
• Not gentle.

Bollywood fans:

• Creative
• Outgoing

Rock/heavy metal fans:

• Low self-esteem
• Creative
• Not hard-working
• Not outgoing
• Gentle, and at ease

Chart pop fans:

• High self-esteem
• Hardworking
• Outgoing and gentle
• Not creative
• Not at ease.

Soul fans:

• High self-esteem
• Creative
• Outgoing
• Gentle
• At ease

Based on the questionnaires, fans of blues, rap, opera, reggae, and classical music have all shown to have high self-esteem. While indie and rock/heavy metal lovers lack motivation and have a low self-esteem. However, indie and rock/heavy metal fans are positive and creative. Country music fans proved themselves to be hard-workers. Soul fans displayed results of being outgoing and gentle. Based on North’s overall findings, it seems clear that there are in fact a good amount of truth in the stereotypes of music fans. For example, rock/heavy metal fans hold a common stereotype of being rebelious, but research shows that they do have a soft side to them. There are many similarities between the different genres of music.

The Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI®) assessment is an excellent way to identify your personality type, and gain a better overall understanding of who you are. The MBTI® is a questionnaire that measures your psychological views and personal preferences. No answer is correct nor incorrect, they are simply based on the individual. When you complete the assessment, you will be more knowledgeable about your behavior and persoanlity traits. Take the assessment now to match your personality traits with your taste in music.

“People do actually define themselves through music and relate to other people through it but we haven’t known in detail how music is connected to identity. We have always suspected a link between music taste and personality. This is the first time that we’ve been able to look at it in real detail. No one has ever done this on this scale before.” –Professor Adrian North

North is now seeking participants for an online questionnaire exploring the same topic. To take part in the research visit http://peopleintomusic.com