THE ESSENTIAL
- “As a universal language, music can have a significant impact on a person’s physical and emotional state. We developed this app as an accessible first aid strategy to better balance emotions,” Man Hei Law said. .
- Previous studies have shown that listening to classical music helps relieve heart problems, high blood pressure and depression. Songs with a groove beat also improve cognitive health.
Many studies have proven that music has many benefits, ranging from Mental Health up to the memory and the performances cognitives as well as on the pain or the management of emotional states.
To make the most of all these positive effects, researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have developed an application that creates personalized playlists to help listeners manage their emotions through music.
Playlists to help manage your emotions and compensate for the lack of therapy
Presented yesterday at the meeting of theAcoustical Society of America, the app aims to lead its users into a more positive and focused state. It could be useful for those who do not dare to consult and start therapy or treatment out of shame, mistrust or incapacity.
Before listening, users will have to complete three questionnaires in the application to measure their emotional state and provide the necessary information to concoct the most suitable playlist. The user’s current emotion and long-term emotional state is assessed using an illustrated tool that helps identify emotions in terms of energy level and mood. The energy level can range from high, medium to low and the mood can be positive, neutral or negative. A health questionnaire and screening for generalized anxiety disorder are also used to establish personalized music therapy treatments.
Three types of playlist adapted to the mood of the user will be proposed
By determining the user’s emotional state, the application creates a personalized playlist that aims to either “comfort”, “relax”, or “enjoy”. The uplifting playlist reflects the energy and mood of the user at the time, while the relaxing playlist provides positive and calming energy. The uplifting music is also positive but more energetic.
“In our experiments, we have found that the relaxing and uplifting methods can significantly shift listeners from negative emotional states to more positive emotional states. In particular, when listeners are in a neutral mood, the three methods offered can the emotions of the listeners more positive”said Man Hei Law, the researcher who presented the application, during the meeting.