The Musician's Personality

Abstract

Regardless of culture, being a musician (whether composing, arranging, or performing) is a complex undertaking. Choosing to be a musician cannot be attributed to personality factors per se. Like any career choice, being a musician represents a blend of genetic and biological endowment with social and emotional reinforcers received in life experiences. Using a cognitive social-learning framework, this article examines research relevant to the musician's personality and seeks answers to 3 questions: (a) Why does one person, and not another, become a musician? (b) What influence, if any, does music have on personality? and (c) Does the musician have distinguishing personality characteristics? Research supports and contradicts numerous possible personality characteristics for musicians, but has yielded little, if any, unassailable empirical support for believing that there are personality characteristics unique to musicians. It has neglected the possible relation between the musician's personality and factors like the venue or context in which the music is performed, the particular musical genre, the presence or absence of career success, and culture. Research points toward music enhancing learning for musicians and nonmusicians alike. In addition to addressing personality and factors, future research will likely give emphasis to genetic or biological endowments.

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