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Dunbar RIM. The origins and function of musical performance. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1257390. [PMID: 38022957 PMCID: PMC10667447 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1257390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Music is widely recognised as a human universal, yet there is no agreed explanation for its function, or why and when it evolved. I summarise experimental evidence that the primary function of musicking lies in social bonding, both at the dyadic and community levels, via the effect that performing any form of music has on the brain's endorphin system (the principal neurohormonal basis for social bonding in primates). The many other functions associated with music-making (mate choice, pleasure, coalition signalling, etc) are all better understood as derivative of this, either as secondary selection pressures or as windows of evolutionary opportunity (exaptations). If music's function is primarily as an adjunct of the social bonding mechanism (a feature it shares with laughter, feasting, storytelling and the rituals of religion), then reverse engineering the problem suggests that the capacity for music-making most likely evolved with the appearance of archaic humans. This agrees well with anatomical evidence for the capacity to sing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin I. M. Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Quarter, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Lin Y, Zhao B, Ma X. The Influence of Guozhuang Dance on the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults: The Chain Mediating Effect of Group Identity and Self-Efficacy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14545. [PMID: 36361424 PMCID: PMC9654213 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the context of the gradually accelerating aging of the population, the subjective well-being of older adults has received extensive research attention. Guozhuang Dance is a collective aerobic exercise that plays an important role in the physical activity of older Chinese adults. Studying the intrinsic relationship between Guozhuang Dance and the subjective well-being can help improve the quality of life and well-being of older adults in their later years. This study was conducted in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China, where many older adults practice Guozhuang Dance. Previous studies pointed out that group identity and self-efficacy can influence well-being in a collective exercise. METHODS For this study, we recruited 520 adults (male = 228, female = 292) aged 65 years or older from Chengdu who participated in Guozhuang Dance, to conduct a survey to understand the effect of this exercise on their subjective well-being. The Guozhuang Dance exercise scale, the group identity scale, the self-efficacy scale, and the subjective well-being scale were used in the study. We used SPSS for the descriptive statistical analysis, and AMOS for the structural equation modeling. RESULTS The results of the study show that Guozhuang Dance has a positive effect on enhancing the subjective well-being of older adults and can increase the subjective well-being through the chain mediating effect of group identity and self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that effective measures should be taken to encourage older adults to participate in Guozhuang Dance, in order to enhance their subjective well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanzheng Lin
- School of Wushu, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- School of Wushu, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Chinese Guoshu Academy, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiujie Ma
- School of Wushu, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Chinese Guoshu Academy, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Stupacher J, Matthews TE, Pando-Naude V, Foster Vander Elst O, Vuust P. The sweet spot between predictability and surprise: musical groove in brain, body, and social interactions. Front Psychol 2022; 13:906190. [PMID: 36017431 PMCID: PMC9396343 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.906190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Groove—defined as the pleasurable urge to move to a rhythm—depends on a fine-tuned interplay between predictability arising from repetitive rhythmic patterns, and surprise arising from rhythmic deviations, for example in the form of syncopation. The perfect balance between predictability and surprise is commonly found in rhythmic patterns with a moderate level of rhythmic complexity and represents the sweet spot of the groove experience. In contrast, rhythms with low or high complexity are usually associated with a weaker experience of groove because they are too boring to be engaging or too complex to be interpreted, respectively. Consequently, the relationship between rhythmic complexity and groove experience can be described by an inverted U-shaped function. We interpret this inverted U shape in light of the theory of predictive processing and provide perspectives on how rhythmic complexity and groove can help us to understand the underlying neural mechanisms linking temporal predictions, movement, and reward. A better understanding of these mechanisms can guide future approaches to improve treatments for patients with motor impairments, such as Parkinson’s disease, and to investigate prosocial aspects of interpersonal interactions that feature music, such as dancing. Finally, we present some open questions and ideas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stupacher
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- *Correspondence: Jan Stupacher,
| | - Tomas Edward Matthews
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Victor Pando-Naude
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Olivia Foster Vander Elst
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Vuust
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark
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Sun Y, Ji P, Wang Y, Fan H. The Association Between the Subjective Exercise Experience of Chinese Women Participating in Square Dance and Group Cohesion: The Mediating Effect of Income. Front Psychol 2021; 12:700408. [PMID: 34712166 PMCID: PMC8546298 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chinese square dance has become well known worldwide in recent years, and most participants are women who dance with a group in their communities. In particular, middle-aged women may have physical and mental health problems, and participating in square dance may increase women's positive subjective well-being and decrease their negative emotions, which may improve their health over the long term. In addition, participating in square dance can promote group cohesion. Our study aimed to examine the relationship between the subjective exercise experience of participating in square dance and group cohesion and whether some variables (e.g., age, education, duration, income level, and work) play a role as mediators in the association with subjective exercise experience and group cohesion. Methods: In total, 1,468 Chinese women from 31 provinces and 82 cities participated in this study by completing an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of a subjective exercise experience questionnaire and a group environment questionnaire. We analyzed the collected data and built a statistical model. Results: (a) Square dance satisfied women's physical and psychological needs partly; (b) positive well-being (PWB) was positively correlated with group cohesion, and fatigue was negatively correlated with group cohesion; and (c) the income level was a partial mediator of the relationship between group cohesion and subjective exercise experience. Conclusion: Chinese women have different motivations for participating in square dance. Because this activity can help meet women's physical and psychological needs, an increasing number of individuals worldwide participate in square dance. As women's subjective well-being increases, group cohesion increases, and vice versa. Moreover, the subjective exercise experience remains a significant predictor of group cohesion after including income level as a mediator, suggesting that the model indicates partial mediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Sun
- School of Art, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Peiyao Ji
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Art, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongying Fan
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
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Dunbar RIM, Robledo JP, Tamarit I, Cross I, Smith E. Nonverbal Auditory Cues Allow Relationship Quality to be Inferred During Conversations. JOURNAL OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 46:1-18. [PMID: 35250136 PMCID: PMC8881250 DOI: 10.1007/s10919-021-00386-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The claim that nonverbal cues provide more information than the linguistic content of a conversational exchange (the Mehrabian Conjecture) has been widely cited and equally widely disputed, mainly on methodological grounds. Most studies that have tested the Conjecture have used individual words or short phrases spoken by actors imitating emotions. While cue recognition is certainly important, speech evolved to manage interactions and relationships rather than simple information exchange. In a cross-cultural design, we tested participants’ ability to identify the quality of the interaction (rapport) in naturalistic third party conversations in their own and a less familiar language, using full auditory content versus audio clips whose verbal content has been digitally altered to differing extents. We found that, using nonverbal content alone, people are 75–90% as accurate as they are with full audio cues in identifying positive vs negative relationships, and 45–53% as accurate in identifying eight different relationship types. The results broadly support Mehrabian’s claim that a significant amount of information about others’ social relationships is conveyed in the nonverbal component of speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. I. M. Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Anna Watts Building, Oxford, OX2 6GG UK
| | - Juan-Pablo Robledo
- Centre for Music and Science, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, 11 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP UK
- Laboratoire Interpsy, Campus Lettres et Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Lorraine, 23, Bd Albert 1er, 54015 Nancy cedex, France
- Millennium Institute for Caregiving Research (MICARE), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio Tamarit
- Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos, Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ian Cross
- Centre for Music and Science, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, 11 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP UK
| | - Emma Smith
- Wysing Arts Centre, Fox Road, Bourn, Cambridge, CB23 2TX UK
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Cespedes-Guevara J, Dibben N. Promoting prosociality in Colombia: Is music more effective than other cultural interventions? MUSICAE SCIENTIAE : THE JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR THE COGNITIVE SCIENCES OF MUSIC 2021; 25:332-357. [PMID: 34737527 PMCID: PMC8559182 DOI: 10.1177/10298649211013505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This article reports a two-part study into the prosocial impacts of third sector cultural activities with children and adolescents in impoverished and violence-stricken urban neighbourhoods in Cali, Colombia. First, a year-long field study set out to compare a pre-existing music-training programme with a dance-training programme and a football-training programme with 9-14 year olds, to determine the extent to which each affords the development of empathic attitudes and prosocial behaviours. The music and dance programmes produced few significant changes in participants' empathy or prosociality, and there were few significant differences between the empathy and prosociality of the participants in the two groups. Participant dropout prevented comparison with the football-training programme. Second, an interview study was used to understand the place of prosociality in the aims and work of policymakers, funders and third-sector practitioners running cultural activities for social impacts in the Cali region. The study revealed that the organisations aimed to achieve individual and social transformation by creating the conditions for transformation, evidenced as positive outcomes. Neither the measures used by the organisations themselves nor the psychosocial constructs of prosociality and empathy used by the researchers adequately evidenced some of the intended outcomes, such as enabling individuals to build a life project, practising and sustaining social inclusion and transforming communities, nor a path from individual to social transformation. Differences between the structure of cultural activities and their associated values meant that different activities were believed to lend themselves to social transformation more or less well. This highlights the need for critically reflective, co-constructed research using a fuller range of constructs that can capture the outcomes of these programmes for both individuals and groups.
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Dunbar RIM. The Anatomy of Friendship. Trends Cogn Sci 2018; 22:32-51. [PMID: 29273112 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Friendship is the single most important factor influencing our health, well-being, and happiness. Creating and maintaining friendships is, however, extremely costly, in terms of both the time that has to be invested and the cognitive mechanisms that underpin them. Nonetheless, personal social networks exhibit many constancies, notably in their size and their hierarchical structuring. Understanding the processes that give rise to these patterns and their evolutionary origins requires a multidisciplinary approach that combines social and neuropsychology as well as evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- R I M Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK.
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