Physiological Effects of Volume of Music on Heart Rate, Grip Strength, and Electromyography

Abstract

For this study, the physiological effects of volume of music on the body were investigated. Previous studies have shown that aspects of music such as tempo and rhythm result in physiological responses within the body. However, little is known about the physiological effects of volume of music on the body. It was hypothesized that both loud (70-80 dB) and soft (45-55 dB) music would result in an increase in grip strength, electromyography (EMG), and heart rate as compared to baseline measurements where no music was present. It was also hypothesized that loud music would cause a greater increase in these measurements as compared to soft music exposure. To test this hypothesis, grip strength, EMG, and heart rate were measured in 50 research participants. The data showed that loud and soft music exposure both resulted in a significant increase in heart rate compared to no music exposure. There was a significant decrease in grip strength for the soft music exposure group compared to the no music exposure group. Lastly, loud music exposure resulted in a significant decrease in muscle stimulation. No significance was found for the other comparisons.