Issue 3-4
Vol. 40
1998
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of music and activation of hemispheres R. Leichner The influence of three experimental factors on judging music as on the effect of music in making emotional was examined. The factors: 1.The music is flowing or with marked rhythm. 2.The music was processed in an empathical oder analytical mode. 3.By presenting the music to the right or left ear the music came to the contralateral hemisphere with priority or it was played to both hemispheres biaurally. The hypothesis was that music activates the right hemisphere but music with marked rhythm will activate the left hemisphere too. Further on there was the expectation that the empathical mode of hearing will contribute to the activation of the right hemisphere whereas the analytic mode will activate the left hemisphere. Finally the right or left hemisphere or both hemispheres should be activated by presenting the music to the ear contralateral to the hemisphere resp. to both ears. By combination of the three factors a hemisphere can be activated not at all, once, twice or three times. Activation means load too. Therefore the hypothesis is that the beauty of music and its effect of making emotional will be experienced intensively only when the load on both hemispheres is in balance. An excessive load on one or the other hemisphere reduces the possibilities of intense experience. Flowing music vs. music with marked rhythm had a pronounced effect on the judgements but no load-effect. The presentation of music specific to a hemisphere as the mode of hearing both have the postulated load-effect. As hypothesized the experience of music was impressing when one hemisphere was strained by music and the other by mode of hearing. When one hemisphere was straind twice, by music and by mode of hearing, the experience was reduced. This study confirms the results of other studies that the right hemisphere is dominant when processing music because the effect of hearing with both hemispheres is like that of hearing with the right one. Key words: music, mode of hearing, hemispheric asymmetry, hemispheric load, experience of music Psychologische Beiträge, Volume 40, 1998, p. 350-362 Prof. Dr. Reinhard Leichner
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