Personality and Individual Differences 36 (2004) 1005–1008

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Music preference correlates of Jungian types

Jodi L. Pearson, Stephen J. Dollinger*
Department of Psychology, 1125 Lincoln Drive, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6502, USA

Received 21 October 2002; received in revised form 25 February 2003; accepted 2 April 2003

Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship between personality and music pre-
ferences, using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. It was hypothesized that the sensing–intuition dimension
would correlate with overall musical enjoyment. Thus, as compared with those participants who scored
toward the sensing end, we expected high scorers (intuition end) to endorse more musical styles, particu-
larly classical music, as well as to have greater musical training and involvement. This hypothesis was
tested and confirmed with a sample of 104 undergraduates. Moreover, extraversion also correlated with
overall musical interest, particularly for popular/rock music. Finally, thinking–feeling correlated with
liking for country and western music. Whereas past research has conceptualized music preferences in terms
of approach to or avoidance of stimulation, these findings support the notion of cultural involvement as a
personality dimension.
# 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Personality; Music; Intuition; Myers Briggs Type Indicator

Possible connections between music preferences and personality are of interest to psychologists
interested in trait psychology, art therapies, aesthetics, and the mood-influencing effects of certain
kinds of music. In accord with the model of optimal stimulation, past studies have shown that
sensation seeking, extraversion and psychoticism predicted liking for more stimulating music like
rock-and-roll, or ‘‘exaggerated bass’’ in music (Daoussis & McKelvie, 1986; Litle & Zuckerman,
1986; McCown, Keiser, Mulhearn, & Williamson, 1997; Rawlings, Hodge, Sherr, & Dempsey,
1995). Such findings were grounded in Eysenck’s and Zuckerman’s theories about personality and
environmental stimulation. Building on a study of conservatism and liking for classical music
(Glasgow, Cartier, & Wilson, 1985), Dollinger (1993) reasoned that the ‘‘big five’’ trait of openness
to experience, sometimes named ‘‘culture’’, should be relevant to music preferences. Results

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-618-453-3565; fax: +1-618-453-3565.

E-mail address: dollngr@siu.edu (S.J. Dollinger).

0191-8869/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00168-5
1006 J.L. Pearson, S.J. Dollinger / Personality and Individual Differences 36 (2004) 1005–1008

supported that prediction and were later replicated and extended to other aesthetic preferences
(Rawlings & Ciancarelli, 1997; Rawlings, Barrantes i Vidal, & Furnham, 2000). In these studies,
extraversion also influenced music preferences. Thus, researchers have demonstrated relationships
between music preference and personality using instruments such as the Eysenck Personality
Questionnaire and Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory. No studies have
examined the relationship between music preference and personality using the Myers Briggs Type
Indicator.
Focusing primarily on classical music, Storr (1992) noted that various arenas of contemporary
culture (politics, education) take a utilitarian approach to life; within this approach, music and
the arts are viewed as luxuries that provide just ephemeral pleasure of little significance. This
practical attitude toward the arts should be most characteristic of people who are Jungian sensing
types (cf. Myers, McCaulley, Quenk, & Hammer, 1998, p. 24). In contrast, Jungian intuitive types
may disdain the practical attitude and find enjoyment in music because of its complexity or
because diverse musical forms stimulate their aesthetic appreciation and imagination.
Based on Jung’s (1923/1971) theory, The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) identifies
preferences in four different dichotomies including Extraversion–Introversion, Sensing–Intuition,
Thinking–Feeling, and Judging–Perceiving (Myers et al., 1998). Of relevance to the present study,
sensing–intuition refers to preferred mental functions for perceiving the world. Sensing types
prefer to take in information in terms of specific, practical and concrete details whereas intuitive
types focus on the larger pattern of meanings and possibilities. Researchers have demonstrated
that people who endorse intuition over sensing have a preference for variety in their tastes in
visual art (Goldsmith, 1985; Van Rooij, 1996), and also are more likely to have musical training
(Lewis & Schmidt, 1991; Wubbenhorst, 1994). Therefore, it was predicted that subjects who score
toward the intuition end of the sensing–intuition construct will evidence a wider range of musical
preferences. Moreover, since Rawlings and Ciancarelli (1997) found that training in music was
associated with breadth of music preference and a liking for classical and religious music, we
expected ‘‘intuitive’’ types to like classical music more than ‘‘sensing’’ types.

1. Method

Participants consisted of 104 students (44 male and 60 female) who were enrolled in an
Introductory Psychology course. Most (77%) were Caucasian with 14% being African American.
Participants were administered two measures which they completed in one session, in groups
ranging from 1 to 8.
Participants completed the MBTI (Form M, self-scorable) and the Musical Preference Scale.
The MBTI was developed by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs (Myers et al., 1998) and
was based on Jung’s Psychological Types (1971). Form M gives raw scores in terms of the four
preferences usually denoted by the second-named endpoint of the four dichotomies (i.e.
introversion, intuition, feeling, and perceiving).
The Musical Preference Scale, with minor modifications, consisted of 73 questions including 13
background items pertaining to music experience and then ratings of preferences for established
categories of music rated on a five-point Likert scale (Litle & Zuckerman, 1986). The items of the
scale are similar to the types of music within the recording industry: rock, classical, electronic,
 J.L. Pearson, S.J. Dollinger / Personality and Individual Differences 36 (2004) 1005–1008 1007

jazz, soul/rhythm and blues, popular, country and western, folk/ethnic, religious and
Broadway, TV and soundtrack music. Most had several subcategories (e.g. acid rock, surfer
rock, jazz-rock).

2. Results and discussion

The musical background items formed two clusters. One involved background training and
consisted of years of music theory; years of music lessons; years as a musical performer; and
general level of understanding of music (Cronbach alpha=0.81). The second group of items,
labeled musical involvement, consisted of: importance of music in your life; hours per day lis-
tening to music; hours per day one would like to listen to music; and level of involvement when
listening to music (Cronbach alpha=0.73).
The primary measure from this study was overall liking of many kinds of music, defined as the
number out of 60 music style items rated at least 3 out of 5 indicating some liking, M=30.3,
S.D.=12.1. A regression model predicting this score from introversion, intuition, feeling,
perceiving, gender, musical training and involvement accounted for 22% of the variance, with a
multiple R of 0.47, F(7,96)=4.2, P<0.001. Significant b weights were found for intuition (0.36,
P<0.001) and introversion ( 0.19, P< 0.05). Thus intuitive and extraverted persons enjoyed
more kinds of music even when controlling for musical background.
Supplementary factor scores were derived from a principal components analysis of the music
ratings. This analysis suggested the use of 7 factors with eigenvalues of 2.26 or greater which
explained 66% of the variance in music ratings. Factor 1 included the jazz, soul, and folk items
and thus is a general factor. Factor 2 comprised classical music items. Factor 3 included all pop
and some rock items. Factor 4 included all the soul and religious music items. Factor 5 consisted
of country-western items and one folk item (bluegrass). Factor 6 included most rock music items.
Factor 7 included all Broadway/TV/movie music items. Regression of each of these factors on the
four MBTI scores yielded significant models for factors 1, 2, 3 and 5, P<0.05. Individual b
weights indicated that intuition predicted liking of jazz/soul/folk (0.36, P<0.001) and classical
music (0.27, P<0.05). Extraverts enjoyed popular/rock music more than introverts (introversion
 weight= 0.34, P<0.05). Those scoring toward the feeling end of TF were more likely to
endorse country-western music than those scoring toward the thinking end (=0.27, P< 0.01).
Finally, regression models predicted training and involvement from the MBTI; both models were
significant and yielded significant  weights just for intuition (0.29, P<0.01 for training; 0.46,
P<0.001 for involvement).
A limitation of the present study is the datedness of the Music Preference Scale which was
published by Litle and Zuckerman in 1986. Most critically, several participants noted the absence
of the hip-hop and rap music styles. As popular music styles change, this scale may need periodic
revision.
Nevertheless, the present results suggest that, in accord with prediction, intuitive people enjoy a
wider variety of music as compared to people who prefer sensing. That is, those scoring as more
intuitive were shown to have a particular preference for jazz, soul, folk, and classical music. In
addition they had greater training and involvement in music which could contribute to their
breadth of musical enjoyment (Rawlings & Ciancarelli, 1997). Because intuition is conceptually
1008 J.L. Pearson, S.J. Dollinger / Personality and Individual Differences 36 (2004) 1005–1008

similar to the big five personality factor of openness or culture (Furnham, 1996; McCrae &
Costa, 1989), these findings support the notion of cultural involvement as a personality factor.
Extraverts liked more types of music than introverts and in particular preferred popular/rock
music (factor 2); introversion was not significantly related to factor 6 which included the harder
rock items. These findings suggest that extraverts like the shared interest in popular music—
connecting them to other people—rather than the stimulation provided by the rhythm or volume
of the music. This could reflect differences in the extraversion concept between Jung and Eysenck
or the MBTI and Eysenck’s scales. Feeling people tended to like country and western music more
than those oriented toward thinking. This may be attributed to the emotional pull of at least
some country music (e.g., those with patriotic, family or story themes, ‘‘tear-jerkers’’).

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