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Montrease Cottle
Abstract
The essay will explore the concept of social environments often including an element of
music and being impacted through the involvement of music. This essay will continue on to
investigate the effects on teenagers of an everyday social environment including music versus an
environment with no music. Common everyday settings for adolescents include school, home,
and friend groups. The essay will also discuss the concept of a "musical environment", what it
means to create a musical environment, and music's influence on a casual and formal
environment. With a silent environment (no music) as a baseline, this essay seeks to see what
Table of Contents
Abstract ...........................................................................................................2
Introduction ......................................................................................................4
Main Body.........................................................................................................6
Conclusion ........................................................................................................11
Limitations of Study..........................................................................................15
Annotated Bibliography....................................................................................16
Citations ...........................................................................................................17
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 4
Introduction
Many different things go into making a social environment; from the people to the
setting, the atmosphere, the surroundings; however, the overlying factor is music. The foundation
of every social environment is music. On average, American youth listen to music and watch
music videos four to five hours a day, which is more time than they spend with their friends
outside of school or watching television. "Music matters to adolescents, and they cannot be
understood without a serious consideration of how it fits into their lives," (O'Toole, 1997) Not
only does it bring a group together, it sets up and plays off some very basic instincts we as
humans have. For example, it is quite instinctive that one may tap their toe to the beat of a song
Music also affects our natural responses to social circumstances. It has been proven that
melodies with faster rhythms can accelerate one's heart rate. This racing of the heart can feel
very much like excitement or anxiety. Either of those emotional states leads an individual to
interact differently in social settings (whether more joyfully and eagerly or irritably and
skeptically). Marketing firms have a solid grasp on this concept and have a great understanding
that music has a transcendent power when added to a social setting and should not be categorized
By visiting venues that youth often gather, one will be able to hear music playing (often
loudly) representative of the group being targeted. At skating rinks, sporting events, arcades, and
stores selling merchandise targeted towards teenagers, popular (pop) music and rap are the main
genres featured on the overhead speakers to set the atmosphere. In more alternative stores like
Spencers and Hot Topic, the playlist will feature more popular and punk rock musical selections
to cater to that demographic of teenagers. Music provides a sense of relatability between teens
and their peers. In the movie, Hairspray (2007), two friends, Penny and Tracy, both enjoyed a
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 5
famous teenage dancing show, The Corny Collins Show. They ran home from school every day
to watch the show and sing along to the popular songs they both enjoyed. Because of the musical
experience the show provided, these two friends were able to bond and build memories every
day. Popular shows today that are similar in nature are TRL (Total Request Live, on MTV) and
106 & Park (on BET), and according to their ratings and the shows' longevity, many teenagers
are sharing similar experiences as the one's Penny and Tracy used to bond. If you tune in on any
given day, you see the audiences of those shows full of adolescents cheering with peers and
friends.
Lastly, music is a source of entertainment, and as social beings, humans bond over
experiences of leisure and entertainment. During the awkward stage of adolescence, rife with
insecurity and change, having an objective entity like music to discuss provides a focus off of
ones self. Getting the focus off of ones self is often the goal in social settings for teenagers.
When one is entertained by music, their thoughts are less likely to be delving into self-doubt,
anxiety, and fear. During the moments of enjoying entertainment, an individuals inhibitions are
lowered. For adolescents, this means they may work up the nerve to initiate a conversation with a
stranger or distant acquaintance. Noticing that someone of the opposite sex is humming the same
song as you may provide you with courage and a natural segue to converse with him/her.
However, an environment that is silent leaves one alone with their thoughts and little material
with which to start a conversation. What would a silent skating rink be like? Would the mall be
as popular a choice for a weekend hang-out if there was no upbeat music? What about school
dances? Would a high-school social or mixer with very low to non-existent music draw as
big of a crowd? This paper seeks to relay the social impact of the presence of music in social
Main Body
An environment has both physical and social aspects. However, out of the two, only
social aspects are affected by music in a countable and measurable way. There are many
definitions of a social environment. One states, it "refers to the immediate physical and social
setting in which people live or in which something happens or develops. It includes the culture
that the individual was educated or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom they
interact." ("Social environment", 2016) Another implies, "the social environment consists of the
sum total of a society's beliefs, customs, practices, and behaviors. It is, to a large extent, an
artificial construct that can be contrasted with the natural environment in which we live."
(Grimsley, "How The Social Environment Affects Business") Social environments are essential
and the key to surviving and thriving in our natural and physical environments; they shape how
we think, act, and feel. Music can be used to swing humans and/or societies and environments
either in a positive or negative direction. Music influences attention and movement in people. In
the movie, Hairspray (2007), The Corny Collins Show came on every day at 3 pm and all of the
teens in the movie knew, judging by the fact there was always a big group of fanatic teenage girls
crowded outside the studio. Working in musical groups promotes respect and trust, and also
allows adolescents to develop a sense of self-identity. Their self-identity comes from the social
environment they lean on for support, which is a direct result of their social relationships.
Without them, much of the self-identity we have would not exist. Relationships and groups
reflect one's self. In the movie, Grease 2 (1982), the T-Birds bonded and thrived off their biking
gang. They entered the talent show as a group and were overjoyed when they made the audition
cuts. Throughout the movie, whenever the leader of their group, Johnny, said something the other
three boys would agree or reiterate what was said. Their identity as the cool guys in high school
that all the girls swooned over was based on their likeness and closeness.
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 7
A peer group is a social group whose members have common interests, social positions, and
age. ("Peer Groups", 2016) Music makes teens relatable to peers and makes finding a peer group
easier. Adolescents' social environment is mostly their peer groups because they are around peers
more than their family. Exclusion and bullying are very prominent in cliques, but music allows
teenagers to communicate and find common ground. People may not want to associate with
people that differ in tastes in music because they'll argue about what they think is better.
Individuals with similar tastes in music get along more than someone with different taste.
(Mariam S.) Friends have similar interests; this is proven over and over by simply observing
teens in their secondary natural social environment, school. If a teen girl is new to high school,
straight from middle school, on the first day of school in the lunchroom, what kind of people will
she look for? Human's natural instinct is to look for aspects of their environment reflecting who
they are and what they believe. If the teen is into Hailee Steinfeld, a popular pop singer among
young teen girls, and she sees two tables: the first, with two teen girls looking similar to her age
but they appear to be talking about the new Selena Gomez song, and the second, there are three
girls again similar-looking in age who are singing from the top of their lungs the new Hailee
Steinfeld song, Starving. The choice is an obvious and easy one. She will pick the group in
which she can relate and get along with. "Though some would look at music as a small footnote
in the progression of humanity, it is, in fact, a much greater force; for some, it defines their very
Genre is not a factor when one needs to focus, different types of genres bring comfort and
clarity to different types of teenagers and adults as well. (Run on sentence) It is all a matter of
opinion and personal preference. Even though music can be unifying, and its effects are quite
similar to everyone's brains, why do some people prefer Nirvana's rock music over Tchaikovsky's
classical melodies? This is where music becomes linked to emotions, a gray area of research that
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 8
has intrigued the neurologist Oliver Sacks. In his research, Sacks used himself as an example of
how different types of music activate the brain at varying intensities. Sacks, who has loved the
composer Bach since he was 5 years old, allowed his brain to be scanned while listening to a
new, obscure Bach piece as well as a Beethoven piece. He tracked how the music made him feel
his welling of emotions with a handheld device that allowed him to rate his emotions on a
scale. After the test, Sacks said the Bach piece was beautiful for him, but Beethoven left him
flat. Amazingly, the brain scans correlated with Sacks emotions: His brain was far more
aroused during the Bach piece than the Beethoven piece. (Bushak & Lecia, 2014) Some may
prefer songs with lyrics rather than instrumentals or melodies; however, others who prefer
classical music for relaxation and focus would frown upon the other group. Teens are known for
being interested in pop culture, usually found listening to pop music or the latest trending artists
of the week, month, or day. However, they could just as easily listen to Jazz, classical, or the
Doing homework can be mentally taxing. Music can make the experience bearable. There have
been studies done by universities such as The University of Wales that show that listening to
music while studying can improve memory, attention and your ability to do mental math, as well
as lessen depression and anxiety. (Abercrumbie, 2016) Math, in general, is typically a problem
area for many adolescents. Teens feel they cannot do homework; especially math homework,
without playing music. If unable to play music, they may sing. Depending on the song, and
persistence to focus, homework can be done in the half time it would take if did it in silence.
Music is loved by many if not all teens, some could not survive the day without a tune or two.
No matter where adolescents are, their phone is never far. Music has become the social norm
within high schools and classrooms. Teens are usually found with their phone in their hand or on
them, and headphones in their ears or around their neck. Teachers use songs as methods of
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 9
memorization and phones and headphones are now permitted in lunchrooms. Before permitted,
teens still had their devices, even with the risk of having their phones confiscated. The benefits
seem to outweigh the risks to teens. Not much keeps adolescents from their music.
Lastly, music is entertaining. Music is always present at teen hangouts. If there is ever
such a hangout without music, teens do not stick around long, music makes the atmosphere.
Many teens believe hangouts are not actual hangouts without music. When there is an awkward
silence, music fills it. When there is nothing left to say, music is there. When the party or hangout
is dull, music steps in and gets people moving. Music is to teens what coffee is to night owls in
the morning. The reason that music is so appealing to a lot of people is because there are so
many different styles and genres it is very hard to not like some of them. Music can be played
pretty much anywhere, anytime with friends, family and by yourself. It is a great way to relax
and brings happiness and meaning to life. ("Why is Music entertaining?", 2012)
One specific example of a musical environment in a social setting outside of teenagers is the fan
frenzy towards Franz Liszt. Lisztomania, or Liszt Fever, is the hysterical, frantic reaction to Liszt
and his concerts. His playing was said to give the audience a certain level of ecstasy, which
resulted in fans acting out of the normal. Admirers of Liszt would swarm over him, fighting over
his handkerchiefs and gloves. Fans would wear his portrait on brooches and cameos. Women
would try to get locks of his hair, and whenever he broke a piano string, admirers would try to
obtain it in order to make a bracelet. Some female admirers would even carry glass vials into
which they poured his coffee dregs. (Wikipedia, "Lisztomania", 2016) Franz Liszt specialized in
the genre of romanticism, which was a reaction against the excessive rationalism of the
Enlightenment. It was also influenced by the theory of evolution and uniformitarianism, which
argued that "the past is the key to the present." Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual
such emotions as trepidation, horror, and the awe experienced in confronting the sublimity of
nature. (New World Encyclopedia, 2015) Liszts followers and admirers were willing to do
senseless things all in the name of music. The influence and power of Liszts music and lyrics
empowered the crowd to act out of their comfort zones. Nowadays, this kind of behavior is
common, one would not be surprised to see a bunch of teens going crazy and obsessive over a
famous singer; however, back in those times, there were ladies and gentlemen. It was not the
social norm to act like a crazy, fanatic fan. This goes to prove the significance the role music has
continuously shown and exhibited in not only our modern era but in the past as well.
Imagine the world without music no concerts to attend, no singing or whistling, no tapes or
CDs, no music in movies, no marching bands, no dancing, no hymns, and no organ at baseball
games! Without music, our world would certainly be a bleak place. (Bell, "Music in your
Environment: Shaping Mind, Body, and Mood") There would be an inexplicable absence, one
that could not be explained. Even present in the background, the effect of music is felt. Imagine
if there were no songs or hymns ever made. What would the slaves have used to plan their
escapes in the Underground Railroad? What would Mozart and Beethoven have made a
profession out of? What would ladies and gentlemen who regularly attended the opera do with
their time? These questions seem silly, yes, but are logical. There would be a hole in the
continuum of our history. Children movies would not be the same, watching Mulan, would be
rather confusing. There would not be such a strong emphasis on her going to war in place of her
father. Musicals would surely not have the same excitement. These are small effects in theory,
but they lead to larger and more impactful effects. Art departments at schools would not have the
same funding or emphasis. When one thinks of the art department, their mind instinctively
flashes toward music. The Governors School for the Arts would have to change their focus on
Conclusion
Adolescents social settings are affected by music because it allows them to relate, grow,
and expand in their social settings. Whereas settings without music are not necessarily
inadequate, just affects adolescents differently. They do not stimulate growth and brain activity
the same. Music has been said to enhance our learning experiences. The proof is indeed in the
pudding; music makes life better. Whether in education, social settings, or personal situations,
It is undeniable, but looking more closely than just the race as a whole, but at
adolescents. Music is heavily influenced upon them and they accept it willingly, it becomes a
part of them; who they are. Hence why adolescents connect through music, their preferences
reflect who they are. Knowing this, it makes sense that their social settings include music, even if
in the smallest bit. It would be unusual to meet an adolescent that did not like music. The
different genres allow for more room to express ones self easily and remain unique from
others. No one is truly unique, we all possess qualities similar to each other, and we just use them
Literature Review
adolescents social environment while examining the different in music versus no music.
(Mundra, 2015) is a breakdown and in-depth view of what a social environment entails. "True it
is that man lives in particular geographical conditions and that he has for his society a definite
pattern of economic activities; yet social man is as much the product of his social environment as
he is of physical surroundings and economic conditions." It then goes on to discuss the kind of
social environment man lives in and how to it equates to man's physical environment. Using
examples from real-world situations or books such as Siddhartha, it brings the true definition a
(Kreitzer, "What Impact Does the Environment Have on Us? | Taking Charge of Your
Health & Wellbeing") highlights the effects on the physical environment on humans. The
environment can influence mood. For example, the results of several research studies reveal that
rooms with bright light, both natural and artificial, can improve health outcomes such as
depression, agitation, and sleep. This source is essentially striving to achieve the same as the
last, just from the perspective of a physical environment, not a socially influenced one.
environments. Music therapy just as the two sources have, just from the perspective of the
Germans. The author recognizes the definition of simply the word, environment. "The simple
definition of environment is the surrounding'. It is what surrounds a thing. We can also define it
as "environment is the combination of all of the physical and organic factors that act on a living
being, residents, or ecological society and power its endurance and growth." In bullet points,
social and physical environments are discussed. A social environment is clearly defined. "The
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 13
social or cultural environment means the environment which is created by the man through his
Musics effects
(Barton, 2014) supports the idea that music does have healing powers and in turn, can be
used to treat Alzheimer's disease. "Anyone who has blasted a certain song before a party can
attest to music's transformative powers. But music isn't just a mood-booster: Music therapists use
pitch, rhythm, melody and lyrics in specific ways, with the explicit intent of affecting cognition
or emotion in the person who is hearing them." Music can be recreational use, but also for
healing and medical use. Not only does the author focus on Alzheimer's, but also on depression
(M, "Effects of Music on Society") explores the effects of music on society and
individuals as well. The fact is; music is a driving force in society; it has been present since the
dawn of man. The average person spends several hours a day listening to music, whether they
see it as a main activity or just as something to take up space in the background. It is not
surprising, then, that music has a great effect on how humans think and act, possibly even
affecting intelligence. Continuing on, music in schools and the effects on students learning
music alongside other subjects is expanded on. A child taking music lessons greatly improves
mathematics. Besides the more obvious mathematical effect, the child will explore the lyrical
rhythm and content of the music; understanding the vocabulary and rhythm of the musical
language may allow them to improve both their reading and writing skills. So, in effect, an
education in music will aid the child in what are considered by many to be the two most
(Bushak & Lecia, 2014) focuses on the effect on music on people. It concentrates the
influence music has on adolescents. "When a group of teenagers comes together, besides
socializing, the second thing to come up, is the music choice. Not many teenagers have hangouts
or parties without music. Thus, making music a perfect gateway for communication and
socialization. Music activates the same "feel-good", dopamine, sensory as eating food or other
pleasurable activities. Everyone likes different types of music: Some people may feel more
uplifted when they listen to classical music, while others don't get the same high...However,
research has shown that despite personal preferences, music, in general, has a synchronized
Limitations of Study
Although this research was carefully prepared, one must be aware of its limitations and
shortcomings. First of all, when researching anything psychological or sociological alike, facts
become a matter of opinion. In particular, there was a minimal amount of information on social
environments or environments in general without music. The term social environment is lost
among the growing number of phrases and words the human race has invented and come upon. It
was barely described and the descriptions barely scratch the surface of the importance and
Secondly, researching teens and music had certain difficulties. Many of the research done
connected the effect of music on adolescents with simply being a teenage obsession in desperate
hopes to identify and find themselves. This, not being the focus of the paper, challenged the
stance taken throughout the paper. Music was attributed to affecting adolescents emotions and
mood, but there was little on how music affected their social settings leading to a deeper
examination of existing research. The focus of the paper supports the idea that music is more
than background noise. These particular sources obviously were not to the advantage of the
paper.
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 16
Annotated Bibliography
("Can Music Cure The Human Brain? | EDM RANKS", 2015) challenges the idea of
music curing the human brain. It includes specific examples and real-life situations. The website
references a documentary movie in which patients with dementia, come alive and return their old
selves. It showcases the critics of pharmaceuticals and in the most scientifically way possible,
proven them wrong. This movie and site will help me develop the paper with not only the
different perspective but also with the way it proves the point in which I am taking on the
focuses more the emotional effects of music on the brain. It is more psychologically-focused.
This is helpful because, in order to bring the point home of music therapy being effective and
useful, I need to explain just a little of how it works in the brain. This journal and the American
Music Therapy Association website will both be helpful with doing so.
MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 17
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MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON TEENAGE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS 19
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