Music, Mind, Body and Brain

link.springer.comShared music listening, emotional arousal and cognitive empathy enhance social presence in online interactions - Cognitive ProcessingMusic can support social bonding, especially in face-to-face interactions, but its effects in online environments with reduced social cues are less understood. This study examined how shared music lis...

New paper on socially shared music listening in an online setting. 🎵 The study highlights how emotional responses to music relate to feelings of togetherness and the quality of later cooperation, even when people are not physically present. Read here: link.springer.com/article/10.1... #MusicScience

Shared listening increased social presence, especially among people better able to understand others’ thoughts and feelings. The findings highlight the role of emotions in the social experience of music and their nuanced effects on subsequent interaction. #MusicListening #MusicEmotion

doi.orgSchool principals’ use of music for mood regulation: associations with stress and emotional demands at workPurpose. This study examines how using music-based mood regulation is associated with school principals’ work demands and stress. Although music has been identified as a resource for mood regulation, ...

New results on music in stress management! Finnish school principals use music to regulate their mood more if they experience somatic stress or find their work emotionally demanding. The principals used music in ways that have been linked with better wellbeing. Read here: doi.org/10.1108/IJEM...

#MusicScience #Music #Stress #Wellbeing

doi.orgSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

How has music been used to support children’s social-emotional development? A new scoping review synthesizes findings from 90 studies on group-based music interventions. Read it here: doi.org/10.1177/2059... #MusicScience #ScopingReview

The review maps the diverse approaches, concepts and perspectives across the field, calling for clearer reporting on aspects such as music implementation processes, context characteristics and stakeholder involvement.

frontiersin.orgFrontiers | Four sources of pleasure associated with the experience of grooveHuman behaviour is largely driven by the desire to maximize pleasure. Music, in both perception and production, is a uniquely powerful source of pleasure, en...

What makes #groove such a pleasurable musical experience? The pleasure may emerge from multiple sources, spanning the perception of music, psychological immersion, desire to move & social connection. 💃 Read here: www.frontiersin.org/journals/psy... #MusicScience #MusicPsychology #Pleasure

The proposed framework brings these four sources together to provide a broader understanding of why engaging with music bodily can feel so rewarding. Read more about this in this new conceptual paper by Deniz Duman and Suvi Saarikallio. 🎵

doi.orgThe Emotional Lives of Music and Film: Embodied Simulation and IntersubjectivityAbstract. Musicology and film studies have rich, albeit separate research traditions. Musicology has historically been more concerned with music as an audi

Music & film have often been studied separately, despite both being powerful emotional media. Here we explore how embodied cognition connects musicology, film studies & neuroscience: how sound and movement work together to shape our emotional experiences of cinema. Read: doi.org/10.1093/9780...

@tuomaseerola.bsky.social

This is a chapter in Music and the Cognitive Humanities, recently published by Oxford University Press and authored by Anna Kolesnikov, Joshua S. Bamford, and Vittorio Gallese. #MusicScience #Musicology #FilmStudies #Neuroscience #EmbodiedCognition

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Connor Kirts

@kirtsconnor.bsky.social

Our article got published today!! 🎉🎉🎉 If you’re looking to capture contextual variables around emotional episodes with music, this 35 item instrument will help! journals.plos.org/plosone/arti... #musicscience #emotion #psychology #psychometrics #measurement #psychsky #music

Tuomas Eerola@tuomaseerola.bsky.social

New paper out today! 🎶 How can we capture the situated and functional nature of emotional experiences with music? We introduce MEEM — Measure of Emotional Episodes with Music: a new 35-item, modular instrument covering 5 types of emotional episodes. With @kirtsconnor.bsky.social & Suvi Saarikallio

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Tuomas Eerola

5-25 Doctoral researchers recruited by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at @uniofjyvaskyla.bsky.social ats.talentadore.com/apply/5-25-d... >Our @coe-mmbb.bsky.social posts are still under evaluation, but this Faculty hosts a Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body & Brain. Apply!

ats.talentadore.com5-25 Doctoral Researchers, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences[The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences](https://www.jyu.fi/en/humsoc) is currently seeking to recruit 5-25[doctoral education of the Faculty](https://www.jyu.fi/en/doctoral-education/doctoral-...

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Tuomas Eerola

@tuomaseerola.bsky.social

22 Sept

#Musiconnex event started at Jyväskylä, led by Suvi Saarikallio. 3 days about research findings of how music regulates & connects people #erc #EU @coe-mmbb.bsky.social

doi.orgStrategies to Improve the Affective Experience of Exercise | 29 | TheDrawing on principles from cognitive neuroscience, exercise psychology, and behavioral science, this chapter examines strategies to enhance the affective

How can #music help improve the affective experience of #exercise? Our new chapter explores strategies for enhancing how people feel during exercise & the role of music influencing affective responses & supporting more positive exercise experiences. Read more: doi.org/10.4324/9781... #musicscience

The chapter in the The Handbook of Physical Activity and Cognitive Neuroscience highlights how music may be used alongside other strategies to make physical activity more enjoyable and potentially support continued engagement in exercise.

doi.org Interactive Music to Facilitate Communication and Engagement in Advanced Dementia: An Exploratory Single-Case Study | Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy

#musictherapy publication: Our study explores how interactive singing, rhythmic cues, and culturally meaningful music can support emotional, social & motor engagement in a person with advanced dementia. Read more in Voices: doi.org/10.15845/voi...

#musicscience

doi.org Interactive Music to Facilitate Communication and Engagement in Advanced Dementia: An Exploratory Single-Case Study | Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy

The findings suggest that familiar repertoire, live musical interaction, and multimodal cues were associated with shifts from withdrawn states toward more active participation, shared affect, and spontaneous communication.

journals.plos.orgDevelopment of semantic verbal fluency in children aged 2 to 5 and its relationship with participating in music activitiesThis cross-sectional study investigates the development of semantic verbal fluency performance (i.e., verbal recall) and the role of music participation in 79 normally-hearing Finnish children aged 2;...

Article on development of semantic verbal fluency in children aged 2 to 5 and its relationship with participating in music activities published in PLOS ONE. Read more in comments! Read here: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Importantly, we also showed that the more children participated in informal music activities (e.g., singing, listening to music) at home, the better was their performance.

@tuomaseerola.bsky.social

This is the 1st time when the quantity (the number of correct words belonging to a given semantic category)& quality (the number of semantic clusters, subcategories and switches between subcategories) of semantic verbal fluency performance is studied in normally-hearing children from age 2 yrs->

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Tuomas Eerola

17 Aug

📢 Open positions at @coe-mmbb.bsky.social — the Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain in Finland! We are recruiting 5-9 postdoctoral & 2-6 doctoral researchers to join our large, international research community 🇫🇮 #musicscience 🔹 Postdocs: bit.ly/4gADdbx 🔹 Doctoral: bit.ly/4g10xPz

bit.ly5-9 Postdoctoral researchers, CoE in Music, Mind, Body and BrainThe Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Music, Mind, Body and Brain at [the Department of Music, Art and Culture studies](https://www.jyu.fi/en/humsoc/mutku) of the University of Jyväskylä is seeking to rec...

jyu.fiCentre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoEMMBB)A dynamic research consortium studying music as a multimodal human experience and as a versatile engine of change.

PhD student & postdoc positions for 2027-2029 open soon in Jyväskylä, Finland! We aim to recruit 6-9 postdoc researchers and 4-7 doctoral researchers for 3-year positions. Details and instructions will be updated at the websites of the CoE MMBB and JYU: www.jyu.fi/en/research/... 1/

jyu.fiCurrent vacancies at the University of JyväskyläCurrent vacancies at the University of Jyväskylä.

4/4 Website for open vacancies at University of Jyväskylä: www.jyu.fi/en/about-us/...

jyu.fiCentre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoEMMBB)A dynamic research consortium studying music as a multimodal human experience and as a versatile engine of change.

3/ Methodological approaches focus on experimental research, computational modelling, psychometrics, and statistical analysis.

jyu.fiCentre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoEMMBB)A dynamic research consortium studying music as a multimodal human experience and as a versatile engine of change.

2/ Recruited post-docs and PhD students will work in projects e.g. music and emotion, movement and entrainment, social interaction and development, health and wellbeing, music therapy, special education and mood disorders.

Are you a musician or a sportsperson? Does it matter for your health? New study explores how music & sport identities relate to mental and physical health in adults. A stronger sport identity was associated with better mental health and higher self-efficacy. 1/2 Read more: doi.org/10.7717/peer...

doi.orgdoi.org

2/2 --> Both music and sport identities were linked to improved mental health through increased self-efficacy, and to better physical health through healthier behaviours.

doi.orgArts, cultural engagement and health inequalities: critical reflections on the UK Creative Health Review (2023)The Creative Health Review (CHR) published in 2023 is an advocacy document by the UK National Centre for Creative Health and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. The CHR...

What counts as robust evidence in creative health? In this critical reflection on the UK Creative Health Review (2023), we critically examine the evidence used to support claims that arts and cultural engagement can help address health inequalities. 1/2 Read: doi.org/10.1080/0954... #musicscience

2/2 The paper highlights the importance of critical appraisal, rigorous evidence synthesis, and careful consideration of how evidence is used to inform policy and practice.

doi.orgFrontiers | Music-based research in neonatal intensive care units requires guidelines grounded in developmental neurology and responsive to the individual needs of preterm infantsMusic-based research involving preterm infants is increasingly being conducted in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The objectives and methods of such r...

Why does it matter how music-based research is conducted with preterm infants in neonatal ICU? It's important to use age-appropriate methods with preterm infants, taking into account their developmental stage and individual capacities to receive & process stimuli. Read: doi.org/10.3389/fpsy...

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Katariina

@spooky-kat.bsky.social

17 June

Participate in a study about scary music! 🦇💀 📝 Anonymous online survey (20–30 min) 👥 Open to adults and adolescents over 15 years 🔤 Good English skills required 🎧 Please wear headphones! ♫ Listen to music clips, answer questions. Participate here: link.webropol.com/s/mapping-sc... #musicscience

link.webropol.comMapping scary musicSurvey Powered by Webropol

Welcome back in August, @tuomaseerola.bsky.social!

Tuomas Eerola@tuomaseerola.bsky.social

Last day at Durham University today. 13 years have flown by. I'm grateful for the students, colleagues, collaborators & friends who made Durham such a rewarding place. In August, find me at the Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (@coe-mmbb.bsky.social), Univ. of Jyväskylä, #finland

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Dr Joshua S. Bamford

@js.bamford.id.au

1 June

Had a lovely time presenting some of our research from @coe-mmbb.bsky.social on #music and #love at this special meeting of @royalsociety.org in Edinburgh. It was an exciting couple of days, filled with stimulating discussions about the variety of ways that people form connections with each other.

yle.fiTutkimus vahvistaa: Itse valittu musiikki pidentää jaksamista kovatehoisessa liikunnassaItse valittu soittolista parantaa jaksamista kestävyysliikunnassa, käy ilmi suomalaistutkimuksesta. Tutkimuksessa poljettiin kuntopyörällä musiikkia kuunnellen ja ilman musiikkia.

18 May

Our latest research on music and sport performance has been featured by Finnish national broadcaster Yle (article in Finnish): yle.fi/a/74-20223829 “Research confirms: Self-selected music improves endurance during high-intensity exercise” #MusicScience #Musiikintutkimus

doi.orgInvestigating the Effect of the 6-Week Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Emerging Adults (EYL) on Stress Response, Brain Activity, and Self-Compassion Among Chinese University Students: An Electroencephalogram (EEG) Quasi-experimental Study Using Portable EEG Headband - Applied Psychophysiology and BiofeedbackMindful Self-Compassion (MSC) programs have demonstrated benefits for psychological well-being, yet their neurophysiological mechanisms remain underexplored, particularly in naturalistic settings using portable electroencephalography (EEG). This study examined the effects of a six-week MSC program, Embracing Your Life (EYL), on stress response, brain activity, and self-compassion among Chinese university students. A quasi-experimental design was used with 62 participants (31 in the experimental group and 31 in the control group; mean age = 26.6 years). The experimental group participated in six weekly 1.5-h EYL sessions, while the control group received no intervention. EEG data were collected using a portable headband (channels AF7, AF8) during baseline and post-intervention, involving three meditation tasks: resting state, mindfulness breathing, and a self-compassion break. Power spectral density (PSD) was calculated, and self-reported measures included self-compassion (SCS-SF), perceived stress (PSS), resilience (CD-RISC), mindfulness attention (MAAS), and well-being (SWEMWBS). Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data, controlling for baseline differences. The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-compassion (MD = + 0.28, p = 0.003), mental well-being (+ 1.75, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (− 3.48, p < 0.001), with a marginal increase in resilience (+ 2.88, p = 0.045). EEG analyses revealed condition-specific reductions in alpha and beta power during mindfulness and self-compassion tasks, with significant Group × Time interactions (e.g., alpha: Wald χ2 = 14.55, p < 0.001; Wald χ2 = 225.34, p < 0.001). Theta activity showed nuanced patterns, with suppression during mindfulness and partial recovery during self-compassion. While during the intervention, formal practice segments exhibited the lowest power values across all frequency bands, indicating deeper meditative engagement and enhanced neural efficiency. The EYL program improved psychological outcomes and induced distinct EEG changes. These findings support the feasibility of portable EEG devices for monitoring mindfulness-based interventions and suggest that self-compassion practices engage in unique neural mechanisms beyond traditional mindfulness meditation. Future research should employ larger samples and multi-channel EEG to validate these results.

12 May

Can a 6-week self-compassion program change brain activity & reduce stress in uni students? Portable EEG showed reduced alpha/beta power during meditation tasks - interpreted as lower cortical arousal and greater neural efficiency. 1/2 Read more: doi.org/10.1007/s104... #MusicScience

12 May

A self‑compassion break produced the lowest brain activity across all bands, suggesting distinct mechanisms from mindfulness meditation. 2/2

ylakaupunginyo.fiMusiikin, mielen, kehon ja aivojen tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö (CoE MMBB) ja MUSICONNECT TiedotusMusiikin, mielen, kehon ja aivojen osaamiskeskus sekä MUSICONNECT-projekti toivottavat yleisön tervetulleeksi tutustumaan musiikkia ja tiedettä koskevaan tutkimukseen. Jaamme tietoa meneillään olevist

27 Apr

People in Jyväskylä! Join us in Musica at Yläkaupungin Yö to celebrate music science on May 16th! 🤩 Tule Yläkaupungin Yöhön 16.5. tutustumaan tutkimukseen, jota teemme! 🤩 Lisätietoa: www.ylakaupunginyo.fi/en/schedule/... @uniofjyvaskyla.bsky.social #MusicScience #Jyväskylä #Jyväskylänyliopisto

doi.orgThe ageing musician: Evidence of a downwards trend in song tempo as a function of artist age - Geoff Luck, Alessandro Ansani, 2026Correspondences between the timing of motor behaviour and that of musical performance are well-established. Motor behaviour, however, is known to degrade across...

21 Apr

🎶 Do musicians slow down as they age? Turns out: yes. New research on more than 10k songs shows that as artists get older, their songs get slower. Not laziness (probably) — but biology, creativity, and groove that ages gracefully. Less BPM, more soul. 🎸 👉 doi.org/10.1177/1029... #MusicScience

doi.orgSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

21 Apr

Ever tried listening to two rhythms at once? Your brain might be better at it than you think. In our study, we show for the first time that people can extract & evaluate timing information from multiple non‑metrically related sound streams simultaneously. 1/2 👉 doi.org/10.1177/2059... #MusicScience

21 Apr

2/2: This sheds light on how we make sense of complex sound environments — like music, conversations, or bustling public spaces — and highlights just how flexible and powerful our auditory system really is. 👂✨

tapahtumat.helsinki.fiLadataan tietoja...Helsingin yliopiston tapahtumakalenteri

14 Apr

[FI] 10v sitten käynnistynyt Lukivauva-hanke on seurannut 200 lapsen kielen ja aivojen kehitystä ja lukutaitoa ennustavia tekijöitä. Kaikille avoin juhlaseminaari 23.4. paikan päällä/livestriiminä. Ennakkoilmoittautumisia pyydetään 15.4. mennessä, lisätietoja: tapahtumat.helsinki.fi/fi-FI/page/6...

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Margarida Baltazar

@margarida-baltazar.bsky.social

30 Mar

Deadline postponed 🥳 A few more days to work on your abstract and send it our way 🤗 new DL: 12th April

Margarida Baltazar@margarida-baltazar.bsky.social

We are excited to announce the MUSICONNEX Conference! The hybrid conference will be hosted @coe-mmbb.bsky.social , @uniofjyvaskyla.bsky.social, Finland, on Sept 22–24th 2026. Check our keynotes, website, and contact information in the comments. #musicscience #musicresearch #musiconnex

doi.orgSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

30 Mar

New scoping review out on music and fear! 😱 The relationship between music and fear is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon, ranging from neurological and embodied levels to musical features, and cultural and multimodal contexts. Read more in Music & Science: doi.org/10.1177/2059... #MusicScience

26 Mar

Does self-selected music improve high-intensity endurance performance? Participants lasted ~6 minutes longer listening to self-selected music; no meaningful differences at exhaustion. Music may increase effort tolerance, rather than changing physiological cost. Read more: doi.org/10.1016/j.ps...

doi.orgRedirecting

jyu.fi5th Joint Seminar on Music, Sport and Health, 12 June 20265th Joint Seminar on Music, Sport and Health

23 Mar

Call for Abstracts – 5th Joint Seminar on Music, Sport and Health, 12 June 2026 University of Jyväskylä, Finland & Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (in-person) Abstract deadline: March 27th, 2026 Details & submission: www.jyu.fi/en/events/5t... #MusicScience #MusicSports

jyu.fiJoin Our Study on Musical ImmersionWe invite you to take part in our Immersion Journaling Study, where we explore how people feel and think when they truly connect with music.

23 Mar

Have you ever felt a deep, powerful connection to music — a moment when a song pulls you in, moves you, or completely absorbs you in it? We would love to hear about those experiences. Learn more and participate on our study on musical immersion: www.jyu.fi/en/news/join... #MusicScience

Music, Mind, Body and Brain reposted

Margarida Baltazar

@margarida-baltazar.bsky.social

19 Mar

There's still time to submit abstracts to MUSICONNEX conference. See you in Jyväskylä :)

Margarida Baltazar@margarida-baltazar.bsky.social