Research Methods Paper

Runninghead:HEART RATE VARIABILITYANDMUSIC
A Supporting Study on the Analysis of Heart Rate Variability after Limited Exposure to Varying
Genres of Musical Stimuli.
Madalynn Lauria
Bryant University
Author Note
Madalynn D. Lauria, Student in Department of Psychology, Bryant University College of
Arts and Sciences.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Madalynn D Lauria,
Department of Psychology, Bryant University,1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917 Campus
Box #1146. E-mail address: Mlauria@bryant.edu.

HEART VARIABILITY AND MUSIC
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Abstract
The interest in understanding the relationship between music features and the physiological
response is growing rapidly. Psychologists are using music research to study the activation and
suppression of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system to help understand its effect
on stress and heart rate variability. Many studies have shown inconclusive results on the effect
music has on measured heart rate. After reviewing the experimental literature on heart rate
variability (HRV), this study has been conducted to analyze HRV as it correlates to the genres of
heavy metal music and classical music. It is believed that the musical stimuli that contains
unprepared, rapid rhythmic accelerations (heavy metal) will elicit an elevated heart rate in
comparison to the gradual rhythmic acceleration of classical music. This study contains a sample
of 14 students from Bryant University who were exposed to two different music samples on
different days using a fingertip pulse oximeter. The results of the experiment support the
hypothesis, the classical selection lowered mean heart rate (M= 3.0) more than the heavy metal
selection (M= .79).
Keywords: heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), music, sound intensity, heavy metal, classical

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A Supporting Study on the Analysis of Heart Rate Variability after Limited Exposure to
Contrasting Genres of Musical Stimuli.
Music is known to be one of the most popular forms of entertainment around the globe
beginning over 40,000 years ago (Lemmer, 2008). Recently studies have been more directed
toward understanding the body’s physiological response to music. The research and literature in
this area of study is relatively limited (Ellis, Koenig, Thayer, 2012; Riganello, Quintieri,
Candelieri, et al., 2008). In addition to the limited research, many of the previous studies that did
address this subject were inconclusive (Iwanaga, Kobayashi, Kawasaki, 2005). Another
criticism is that studies of this nature lack external validity due to the idea that listeners are
unable to pick up on the tempo and the heart rate (HR) varies depending on the listeners musical
preference (Karageorghis, Jones, Low, 2006). More extensive research into the subject could
allow psychologists to better understand the physiological effects that music has on the body in a
much more precise sense.
Heart rate variability (HRV) has recently helped psychologists better understand brain
function (Riganello, Candelieri, Quintieri, et al., 2010). What makes HRV so valuable is that
there is no need for a conscious report, allowing the subject pool to be endless and vary from
human to animal (Lemmer, 2008; Riganello, Candelieri, Quintieri, et al., 2010). This also allows
for a more accurate collection of data due to the fact that the results collected are coming from an
undeniable physical response to an independent variable being presented (music).
Furthermore, HRV test subjects vary from college women (Becknell, Firmin, Hwang,
Fleetwood, Tate, & Schwab, 2008), cancer survivors (Chuang, Chih-Yuan, Wei-Ru, Pei-Chun,
Young, Shuenn-Tsong, 2010), and traumatic brain-injured subjects (Riganello, Candelieri,
Quintieri, Dolce, 2010). Rats have even shown a significant decrease in HR when exposed to

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classical music (Lemmer, 2010). This information is significant to researchers in this field
because it allows psychologists to have a better understanding of brain function when there
might not be an opportunity for verbal communication, such as patients in a vegetative state. To
support this data Riganello, Candelieri, Quintieri, and Dolce (2010) found, through data mining,
that the healthy controls and the vegetative state patients were able to identify the music samples
as positive of negative based on the recorded physiological responses. Knowing this information
allows us to justify the necessity for additional research on the topic to gain more validity and
help to understand how music may allow the body to work towards homeostasis.
Different musical stimuli has the ability to inhibit different autonomic responses (Orini,
Bailon, Enk, Koelsch, Mainardi, Laguna, 2010). One example of this is the “Mozart effect”,
which is the apparent relaxing effect that music by Mozart may have on the body. Lemmer
(2008) made some noteworthy findings as to the validity of this effect; he found that in rats,
Mozart’s music led to a slight reduction of HR. When studying the psychophysiological
reactions to Chopin’s “Tristesse,” researchers found that sound intensity correlates to the
variability of one’s heart rate, demonstrating that arousal is connected to rhythm and sound
intensity (Mikutta, Schwab, Niederhauser, Wuermle, Strik, & Altorfer, 2013).
In order to show that classical music has more of a relaxing component to it than an
excitatory response, it is important to look at music with an opposing rhythm. Heavy metal
music is categorized as excitative music (EM) due to its loud and stimulating nature (Iwanaga,
Kobayashi, & Kawasaki, 2005). Heavy metal music is unpredictable and often times
characterized as violent. A study conducted by Becknell, Firmin, and Hwang (2008) found
physiological differences in the students listening to heavy metal music as opposed to the

5
students in the control group. This study will be able to further question the difference in heart
rate variation between heavy metal music and classical music.
Little may be known on the physiological effects that music has on the body but it is
widely recognized that there is a relationship. If there is a concrete understanding on this matter
then music can be further used for therapeutic purposes (Orini, Bailon, Enk, et al., 2010). A
study conducted by Chuang, Chih-Yuan, Wei-Ru, Pei-Chun, Young, and Shuenn-Tsong (2010)
found that subjects that have undergone music therapy showed lower HRV posttest than pretest.
One study found that listening to music did in fact decrease the parasympathetic nervous system
in response to stress, allowing the body to better adapt (Thoma, La Marca, Bronninmann, Finkel,
Ehlert, & Nater, 2013). Both studies support the theory that music therapy can have a positive
impact on patients and helps us to understand the music-stress relationship.
The purpose of this study is to provide supporting data into the effect music has on heart
rate. The evidence-based data that creates the basis for this study is that the sympathetic nervous
system is directly affected by the music one is exposed to, aiding in the decrease of stress levels
within the body (Lemmer, 2010). Understanding the relationship between HRV and stress levels
is the main objective. This information will then allow psychologists to analyze data and be able
to draw conclusions on brain function of any and all living subjects, conscious or unconscious.
In order to draw these conclusions an individual response analysis will be conducted. Based on
the gathered information on the subject, it is believed that the musical stimuli that contains
unprepared, rapid rhythmic accelerations (heavy metal) will elicit an elevated heart rate in
comparison to the gradual rhythmic acceleration of classical music.

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Method
Participants
The participants of this study included a non-randomized convenience sample of 14
undergraduate students recruited from Bryant University, both male (n= 6) and female (n= 8).
Their ages ranged from 19 to 27 years. Participants also were asked to specify if they have
musical training of any sort (ie. Vocal, instrumental, etc…). 10 participants (71.4%) expressed
that they had past musical training in contrast to the 4 participants (28.6%) who have not. Lastly,
the music preference of participants was recorded to test if there was a preference to the music
selection they were about to listen to. After collecting this information it was found that 2
participants expressed that they enjoy listening to classical music, 2 participants enjoy listening
to heavy metal, 10 participants do not enjoy listening to either, and 0 participants enjoy listening
to both genres. The participants of the study were unaware of the type of music they were going
to be exposed to prior to volunteering to participate in the study.
Measures and apparatus
Few materials were needed to complete this experiment. Prior to beginning the
experiment the participants were asked to complete a demographic survey of 6 questions created
by the researcher (see attached document). To listen to the music presented, the participants
were given external “Solo Beats by Dre” (headphones). The music was presented from an
IPhone 5s which contained the pertinent song selections. In order to measure heart rate both
before and after the stimuli was presented, the researcher used a Health-OX Digital Fingertip
Pulse Oximeter Heart Rate Monitor.

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Procedure
Music Presentation
The music was presented in a quiet, isolated room within the applied psychology research
lab at Bryant University. Temperature was kept at a constant to ensure the comfort of the
participants and to minimize the effect of external factors on HRV. The classical music sample
chosen for this experiment was Mozart’s Symphony No.40 (Von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra, 1966) due to its previous success in testing the “Mozart effect” in Lemmer’s 2008
study. The heavy metal music sample chosen is Mortal Treason’s Feed on the Weak. This
heavy metal selection was made because a previous randomly selected focus group stated that
this song is representative of the genre and also is not too “mainstream” for participants, meaning
that it is likely they have never heard it (Becknell, Firmin, Hwang, Fleetwood, Tate, & Schwab,
2008). Length of time that participants listened to the song was standardized at 5 minutes. The
volume level for both songs was standardized at 50% of full capacity of an Apple IPhone 5s.
The music selections were both played off of the YouTube application on the IPhone. Both
songs were listened to through Solo Beats by Dre. These headphones were chosen due to their
noise cancellation properties and external comfort to participants.
Before participating in the experiment volunteers signed up for 2 separate 20 minute time
slots between 5:00pm-7:00pm on an excel document (sent through e-mail) over the course of 2
weeks. It was important that each participant signed up for 2 times to ensure that they heard and
were tested for both music selections on different days.

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This study consisted of a within subjects design whereby the participants came in two
separate days to test baseline and post baseline heart rate of two different music selections.
Voluntary participants were directed to the applied psychology lab (one at a time) during the
time they had previously signed up for. Once inside the lab, the researcher asked the participant
to leave all belongings including cell phones in the waiting room of the lab to avoid unwanted
stimulus that could affect heart rate. They were then put into an isolated room that contains a
side table, lamp, and 2 comfortable chairs. The subject was briefed on the experiment and asked
to sign an informed consent form which the researcher also signed in the presence of each
participant. After the form was signed and the participant was ready, he or she was asked to sit
and rest for 3 minutes alone in the room to allow for their heart rate and respiration to return to a
baseline HR (Iwanaga, Kobayashi, & Kowasaki, 2005). The participant was also given the brief
demographic survey to complete during the resting period of their first visit. Before leaving the
room the subject was advised to sit and try not to move until the researcher has announced that
the experiment is complete.
After 3 minutes of resting time were up their heart rate was measured using the fingertip
pulse oximeter and was recorded as a baseline HR. The oximeter was placed on the left hand
pointer finger to minimize discomfort. After the HR was recorded the researcher informed the
participant that they would be listening to five minutes of a preselected song. The researcher
played only one of the songs and left the room instructing the subject to “listen carefully without
focusing on a particular aspect of the song” (Mikutta, Schwab, Neiderhauser, et al., 2013). The
first song that was played for each participant was the heavy metal piece and the second song
played on the next day they returned was the classical piece. When the researcher returned upon
completion of the song, heart rate was immediately measured again to establish a post-baseline

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HR. The physiological response to each music selection is shown by analyzing the heart rate
variability as demonstrated by the baseline HR and post-baseline HR for each song selection.
Ethical guidelines
All participants of this study had receive an informed consent form that they signed prior
to conducting any experiment. All research conducted in this experiment followed the American
Psychological Association’s code of ethics. The researcher that conducted the experiment has
received their ethics certification for human participants. This research study has been approved
by the International Review Board prior to collecting any data.
Results
Heart rate variability was measured in response to the differing musical stimuli presented.
The data from all 14 participants was calculated with no participant exclusions. Data was
analyzed though the statistical software SPSS. Before analyzing the mean values a T test was
conducted to test for a difference in baseline heart rate between the classical song and heavy
metal song. The T test showed that there was no difference (t (df) = 1.21, p= .248) between the
baseline heart rates.
After analyzing the mean values of the descriptive statistics it is evident that the results
support the previously stated hypothesis. The chosen song with gradual rhythmic accelerations
(classical) decreased heart rate more considerably (M=3.0) than that of the song with unprepared,
rapid rhythmic accelerations (heavy metal) (M=.79). These values are representative of the
mean change of HR between the baseline heart rates and post-baseline heart rates of both the
classical music selection (M=80.4286) and the heavy metal music selection (M=84.00). The

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mean baseline HR numbers were then compared to the post-baseline heart rate values for the
classical music selection (M=77.4286) and the heavy metal music selection (M=83.2143). An
ANOVA table was then created to analyze the difference in the heavy metal change and the
classical change (F (3, 10) = .56, 8= .787). Although the data supported the original hypothesis,
the Music genre’s effect on heart rate proved to be insignificant (t (14) = .787, p>.05) as shown
by the ANOVA.
Discussion
The results of this study are important to note for further studies because the mean values
of the descriptive statistics are consistent with the originally proposed hypothesis. The data does
show that listening to classical music can lower your heart rate more so than listening to heavy
metal music. Furthermore, the data that was calculated through ANOVA did attest that the
findings are insignificant. This supporting data can be useful in further understanding the
physiological effects of music on heart rate variability. This study supports the idea that music
therapy can help reduce stress and help our body to better adapt to stress (Thoma, La Marca,
Bronninmann, Finkel, Ehlert, & Nater, 2013).
Although the results of this study proved insignificant, many variables may be the reason
for this. One reason the results may be insignificant could be due to the relatively small
convenience sample. In order for results to be significant enough to fully support the hypothesis
a larger sample size with broader demographics, and consistent results would be necessary.
It was crucial to record the participant’s musical preference prior to the study with respect
to the idea proposed by Karageorghis, Jones, and Low (2006), that the heart rate of the
participant may vary depending on the listener’s music preference. If a listener has a no

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preference to a song they might not be able to pick up on the tempo which in turn would result in
a lack of external validity. Although participants were told not to listen to any particular aspect
of the song, the tempo or rhythmic accelerations are a crucial part of research regarding HRV.
This statement is supported through the analysis of the “Mozart effect”. Lemmer (2008),
demonstrated that Mozart’s music led to a reduction of HR in rat subjects. In contrast, if a
listener does have preference to a song they might not grasp the full intensity of the song. If a
participant is desensitized to the intensity a song, their heart rate may not vary greatly. In a later
study conducted by Mikutta, Schwab, Niederhauser, Wuermle, Strik, and Altorfer (2013), it was
concluded that arousal is in fact correlated to sound intensity and rhythm. In conclusion, a
further analysis would have to be conducted to determine if music preference affected the HRV
of the participants in this study.
It was not expected that the heavy metal song would elicit a decrease in heart rate, yet
this was the case with many participants as well as its representation in the mean values. The
reason for the disbelief is due to the idea that heavy metal music is characterized as “excitative
music” (EM) due to its loud and stimulating nature, as described by Iwanaga, Kobayashi, and
Kawasaki (2005). In this experiment it is hard to determine if the decrease in HR was caused by
the song selection or another reason. Becknell, Firmin, and Hwang (2008) found a difference in
participants who listened to heavy metal music as opposed to the participants in the control,
which led to the disproved, prior hypothesis that EM would lead to an elevation in HR.
Another limitation of this study is the lack of information about the participants prior to
the study. For this study, medical information on participants could have been useful in
predicting HRV. Various substances may greatly affect ones heart rate. Many participants had
differing baseline heart rates between the first and second time they volunteered for the study.

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This could be due to the use of drugs or alcohol. Adderall is a commonly consumed drug on a
college campus and would account for elevated heart rate. There is no way to be sure if
participants had consumed any substances prior to the experiment.
In addition to these limitations, another questionable factor of the experiment was the
adequacy of the fingertip pulse oximeter. This device displayed a constant calculation of heart
rate. This means that every second or few seconds the HR displayed on the device would
change, sometimes only by 1 BPM but sometimes by a greater value. The notes on the device
also state that makeup (nail polish) may affect the HR readings shown on the face of the device.
In order to avoid the threat to internal validity, the researcher recorded whether or not the
participant was wearing nail polish. Later, in the analysis, a T-test was generated to see if there
was any significance to this claim. The results proved that there was no need to exclude any data
from participants with nail polish.
This device limited the researcher to recording HR before and after the music was
administered. External validity may increase if a constant measure of HR was taken throughout
the experiment, with the use of an alternative device. Taking HR continuously would help in the
analysis of data due to the notion that the effects of music are not instantaneous and change as
exposure to music continues (Mikutta, Schwab, Niederhauser, Wuermle, Strik, & Altorfer, 2013;
Orini, Bailon, Enk, Koelsch, Mainardi, Laguna, 2010). This raises the question of whether the
music presented in this study was long enough. It is important to note that the length of time
each song was played and baseline resting time, were kept uniform throughout the entire
experiment.
Further research is needed in order to shed light on the relationship between music genre/
sound intensity and HRV. It would be useful if there was more research conducted on popular

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music’s effect on HRV. More specifically, in order to avoid insignificant results the experiment
should be conducted on a much larger scale. In addition to these suggestions, it would be
interesting to see this experiment on a cross-cultural level. If cultures are not used to hearing
genres such as classical and heavy metal, their HRV may display different results. If cross-
cultural findings are consistent with the results of this study than it will only help to validate the
current research.

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Chuang, C., Han, W., Li, P., & Young, S. (2010). Effects of music therapy on subjective
sensations and heart rate variability in treated cancer survivors: A pilot study.
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Ellis, R. J., Koenig, J., & Thayer, J. F. (2012). Getting to the heart: Autonomic nervous system
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music tempo preference. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 77(2), 240-50.

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Lemmer, B. (2008). Effects of music composed by Mozart and Ligeti on blood pressure and
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