Media Psychology 389
Importance and Impact of Music on the Film Industry
Summary
I have decided to narrow my focus on psychology and media to the film genre of horror. More specifically, I am focusing on the importance of the music for the genre on the viewer’s psychological response to the film they are watching. Music, in general, is very interesting in how it becomes such an emotional connection for music listeners whether it is to an artist or the messages within their songs. The music in horror movies is have become staples every Halloween now. TikTok even had several trends involving the soundtracks of iconic horror movies. The psychological effects of this style of music are so interesting because of the both psychological and also physical responses our bodies create to a certain note of a violin. In order to present this in a fun but educational way, I am putting together an infographic of the psychological and physical effects of the music played in the movies.
Reference list
Beier, E. J., Janata, P., Hulbert, J. C., & Ferreira, F. (2022). Do you chill when I chill? A cross-cultural study of strong emotional responses to music. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 16(1), 74–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000310.supp
Bond, J. (2007, November 16). The fright stuff: horror movies have produced some of the most memorable music in film history, but composing scary sounds is not for the faint of heart. Hollywood Reporter, 402(14), S-3(6). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A172091444/ITOF?u=waicu_stnorbert&sid=ebsco&xid=f2914727
Fulford, R., Greasley, A., & Burland, K. (2021). Responses to music. In A. Creech, D. A. Hodges, & S. Hallam (Eds.), Routledge international handbook of music psychology in education and the community. (pp. 101–115). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429295362-11
“Hitchcock’s Music – Psycho – Youtube.” YouTube, 8 Sept. 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDtJUSYoLDE
“Jaws – Theme Song – Youtube.” YouTube, 15 July 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX3bN5YeiQs
“John Carpenter – Halloween Theme – Youtube.” YouTube, 6 Aug. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqVyois9mp4.
Martin, G. N. (2019). (Why) Do You Like Scary Movies? A Review of the Empirical Research on Psychological Responses to Horror Films. Frontiers in Psychology, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02298
Psychology and neurobiology of horror movies (Updated March 5, 2021). (2021, March 26). Health & Medicine Week, 4735. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A655776477/AONE?u=waicu_stnorbert&sid=ebsco&xid=11dd877a
Redfern, N. (2020). Quantitative Analysis of Sound in a Short Horror Film. Humanities Bulletin, 3(2), 246–257. https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=a4dfc113-45a5-48cc-b3f3-8af87fed14b3%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHNoaWImc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=202224225434&db=mlf
Redfern, N. (2020). Sound in Horror Film Trailers. Music, Sound & the Moving Image, 14(1), 47–71. https://doi.org/10.3828/msmi.2020.4
Weiler, R. J., & Gall, T. L. (2016). Music Hath Charms: The Healing Effects of Music in Psychotherapy. Counseling et Spiritualité, 35(1), 67–88. https://doi.org/10.2143/CS.35.1.3189092