This research is based on the idea that people’s preferences for music and other activities reveal a great deal about their personalities, lifestyles, and values.
Jason Rentfrow has been heading a research program examining the role of music (and other leisure preferences) in everyday life (and I’ve tagged along with him). Our research suggests that there are five broad music preference dimensions (Rentfrow et al. 2011, 2012; but we originally thought there were four dimensions: Rentfrow et al., 2003). For example, individuals who like listening to classical music also like jazz but not country music, whereas those who like country music also tend to like pop and religious music. In addition, scores on each of these dimensions are related to a variety of personality variables. Along similar lines, we’ve examined the stereotypes associated with certain music preferences and their veridicality. In general, a kernel of truth can be found in the stereotypes of people who like certain types of music.
Click here to get a copy of our Short Test of Music Preferences (STOMP)
Click here to take the test on-line and receive feedback on your music preferences.