Article

Analyzing the Aesthetic Experience of College Students in Music Listening through the Affect-Space Framework

Author

Su-Young Bae

Information

pp. 67~88 / 2023 Vol.52 No.4

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the diversity of emotional and affective responses experienced by college students during music listening, based on the ‘affect-space framework’ (ASF) proposed by Schubert, North, and Hargreaves (2016). Three classical pieces representing various periods and styles were selected for the survey of 84 college students. The results are as follows. First, the pieces evoked profound affections and simultaneously contrasting emotions in college students, revealing the multilayered and complex nature of music perception. Second, when applying the ASF, noticeable gender differences were observed in the aesthetic experiences and judgments of various musical works. Third, participants’ prior music education levels significantly influenced their aesthetic experience and artistic judgments of the pieces. Fourth, no clear correlation was found between the familiarity of the pieces and the aesthetic experience. These findings suggest that various factors can influence college students’ music listening experiences and underscore the need for more detailed research.

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