Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 17 (2019) > e17002

Personality and Music Preferences in College Students and Young Children

Marilyn Livosky, Laura B. Stevens, Rob Hoff, Melissa Surawski

Abstract

The relationship between personality traits and music preferences was examined in 155 college students and 32 children, using the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and a survey of genre popularities, the Short Test of Music Preferences-Revised (STOMP-R). In college students, Agreeableness was positively associated with preferences in the categories of Upbeat/Conventional music and Energetic/Rhythmic music and negatively associated with preferences for the category of Intense/Rebellious music. In children, Conscientiousness was positively associated with preferences obtained when listening to a Reflective/Complex song, while Neuroticism was negatively associated with preferences obtained when listening to an Upbeat/Conventional song and an Intense/Rebellious song. No significant relationships were found between any of the other Big Five personality factors and any other music genres.