Psychology 12

Natalia Cuevas
Molly Edmonds: Is there a link between music and happiness?
Music has an undeniable effect on our mood. We interpret it in many ways and react to
it emotionally.
Humans are able to differentiate sad melodies from happy ones from a very young age,
which lead us to believe that the ability of distinguishing music types is a trait that is
ingrained into our biology. I have always described music as a healer, being able to
understand the link between a song we're hearing and how our body reacts to it could
have enormous implications for treating disease and brain disorders such as depression
and the ability to do so makes music feel like natural therapy.
Music generates many parts of the brain:
- Frontal lobe and temporal lobe begin processing the sounds, cells works together
to interpret the different rhythms, pitches and melodies. This process is believed
to happen in the right side of the brain, but then again, others believe that
reducing music to a right brained or left brained activity isn't possible.
- Visual Cortex allows us to visually try and see the changes in tone and pitch.
- Motor Cortex allows dancing or tapping along to music.
- Music triggers memory recollections.
Happy music releases enough dopamine into our system generating the same thrills as
eating a piece of chocolate, sex or drugs do, these happiness triggers could practically
be classified as anti-depressants.
Music relieves humans from stress, without it, our happiness could not be so easily
increased so quickly. Music literally brings people together, when you are experiencing
the same atmosphere as someone else at a concert or you just have the same music
taste as someone else, enjoying the same music can create mutual bonds between
people.
Music addiction is possible.

Connection:
Music has always brought me happiness; it boosts my energy, takes me to a different
word and relieves me from sadness when I am feeling down. I am completely open to
all genres of music because each genre has a different feel. What would make me even
more content is learning how to play music; Id really like to learn how to play the
acoustic guitar so I could create my own music. Unfortunately, dancing is not enough
for me and my singing is not the greatest!

Twosongs that make me happy:
Huellas - Joe Vasconcellos
-Takes me away to a different place where the atmosphere is lively and fun.
-Dad and I always sing and attempt to samba to it!
-Diverse mixture of sounds.
-Two cultures blended together, Chilean and Brasilian.

Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie / Hollywood Swinging Kool & the
Gang
-Chill and effortless, no other songs will make me feel as cool as I do when I listen to
these.
-Makes me want to dance.
-Remind me of Roll Bounce.

Flashback and Thinking about you - Calvin Harris
-Feels, the atmosphere in a room when it comes on.
-Makes me want to do something active, running jumping etc.
-The beat and rhythm of the song.