ABILITY OF MUSICAL STIMULI IN THE GENERATION OR MODIFICATION OF EMOTIONAL STATES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction and aim: Music has a profound relationship with human emotions. However, the characteristics and correlates of this relationship have not yet been determined. The aim of this review is to describe the results of the research on the capacity of music in the generation and modification of the emotional state in the listener, the respective methodological designs and the evaluation tests used. Methods: A systematic review of articles written between 2009 and 2021 was carried out. The criteria for inclusion, exclusion, analysis, and data recording are based on the structure proposed in the Preferred Items of Reports for Systematic and Meta-analyses Reviews (PRISMA). Results: The results show that music can generate and modify changes in the emotional state of listeners, in addition to modifying cognitive performance in recognition tasks and executive performance. However, the neuropsychological foundations and characteristics that would determine these modifications are diverse and inconclusive. Conclusions: It is necessary to carry out studies that, through a rigorous methodology, allow to establish consistent conclusions on the human characteristics that sustain the capacity of music in the generation or modification of the emotional state.