标题：The magic of frequencies - 432 Hz vs. 440 Hz: Do cheerful and sad music tuned to different frequencies cause different effects on human psychophysiology? A neuropsychology study on music and emotions
摘要：The present study aims to see whether music (cheerful and sad) tuned to different frequencies (432 Hz vs. 440 Hz) cause different effects on the listener’s emotions. In the research, the effects of cheerful and sad music samples at different frequencies were examined within the framework of variables such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV), emotions felt and mood. The study was carried out with a total of 51 participants (31 women comprising 60.8% of the study group, and 20 men comprising 39.2% of the study group) who have not received music education. The average age of the participants is 22.19 (S = 1.08, range = 20-25). In the study, the activation levels of the autonomic nervous system were assessed using Heart Rate Variability (HRV), whereas the moods of the participants before listening music were assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale. Finally, The Geneva Emotional Music Scales (GEMS) was used to assess the potential emotions and mood state to appear after listening music. All music samples used in the study (one cheerful and one sad per participant) were chosen by the relevant participant. The conversion of the samples recorded at 440 Hz tuning frequency, to 432 Hz was carried out with a Max/MSP patch designed specifically for the study. The findings of the study show that the cheerful and sad music tuned to different frequency levels (432 Hz vs. 440 Hz) do not induce significant variation in sympathetic and parasympathetic activation levels. However, regardless of the tuning, the participants who listened cheerful music reported higher levels of relaxation after listening. Moreover, again regardless of the tuning, according to GEMS results, the participants experienced higher levels of sublimity compared to unease, and also higher levels of unease compared to vitality. The analysis regarding cheerful music, in turn, found that the participants, this time, experienced higher levels of vitality compared to sublimity, and higher levels of sublimity compared to unease. In the most comprehensive analysis with no reference to the cheerful or sad character of the sample, the participants who listened 440 Hz pieces reported rather negative mood after listening music compared to the participants who listened 432 Hz pieces. Moreover, men were observed to report even higher levels of negative mood after listening 440 Hz pieces, compared to their mood after listening 432 Hz pieces. All the findings thus reached imply that different tunes lead to variation in reported moods, even though they do not bring about changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic activation levels.
