Psychology of Music

'Comprehensive yet comprehensible, this greatly revised edition builds naturally upon the strengths of the previous versions. The text offers a helpful overview of everything from hearing mechanisms and the basics of auditory perception to grappling with complex questions related to the origins and meaning of music. With a flexible chapter structure affording customization for different pedagogical goals, I have enjoyed using previous editions for classes of both Music and Psychology students. This greatly revised version adds hundreds of additional citations, practical tips on in-class assignments, and practical applications of basic discoveries helping bring material to life for students of all backgrounds. In essence, it is the book I wish I had written!'

Michael Schutz, Professor of Music Cognition/Percussion, McMaster University, Canada

'The newest edition of Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance illustrates the subtitle even more strongly than the prior editions I've used in my Psychology of Music seminar. The authors take care to introduce readers to the methods used in the field, to help them appreciate the significance of the findings of the foundational and contemporary studies in each chapter. They are vigilant in alerting readers to some of 'hype' and unsupported claims that sometimes appear in the media, emphasizing the most validated findings from researchers all over the world. This book will not only edify students in undergraduate courses in music and psychology, but will also be of interest to any reader who has experienced music in any form'.

Andrea R Halpern, Professor of Psychology, Bucknell University, US; past president of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition

'In this new edition of their book, Tan, Pfordresher, and Harré engage in the formidable task of reviewing and sharing research on the main topics in the field of Psychology of Music through accessible and inviting language. The authors use the same structure from the previous editions and individual chapters are carefully crafted, offering a good balance between seminal works and new developments. Topics like musical development (pre-birth to adulthood), the perception and cognition of musical structures, the social psychology of music, the musical brain, and music and meaning, are covered with precision and without too much jargon. Reflective questions, images from actual research studies, and practical applications are all weaved into the narrative, appealing to a broader audience. In short: There is something for everyone! I have used this book in courses aimed at music majors and non-majors, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and cannot wait to bring this third edition into my classroom'.

Beatriz Ilari, Professor of Music Teaching and Learning, University of Southern California, US; co-editor of the Routledge Companion to Interdisciplinary Studies in Singing (Vol. 1: Development).

Praise for the previous editions

Second edition

‘Tan, Pfordresher, and Harré have thoroughly revised and updated Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance with great success. Topics are seamlessly integrated across chapters with valuable cross-references and clear links are drawn between the classic studies and the vibrant, contemporary research. Anyone involved in music, as performer or listener, will find an engaging array of ideas about music and human thought and emotion – and many fascinating unanswered, questions.’

Carol Krumhansl, Professor of Psychology, Cornell University. Past president, Society for Music Perception and Cognition

‘The authors’ revision of Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance provides students and instructors with a rich and deep resource for learning about the field of music psychology. Approachable in its language and sweeping in scope, this text introduces readers to the many areas of scientific research into the powerful, deeply human experiences of listeners and performers, children and adults. I have used the first edition as a text in my undergraduate survey course for years and highly recommend this book as an excellent choice, both in the classroom and for the independent learner.’

Richard Ashley, Associate Professor of Music, Northwestern University, Past president, Society for Music Perception and Cognition

Published reviews

Second edition

‘[I]t is very challenging to ensure a comprehensive yet easily comprehended introduction to many profound theories. In this regard, Professors Tan, Pfordresher, and Harré have been most successful in this revised version… Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance (Second Edition) is a fantastic book for anyone interested in the psychology of music.

Xuanyi Ma, Psychology of Music

First edition

‘As it stands, Tan, Pfordresher, and Harré’s volume is an engaging exposition of the current state of our knowledge of the psychology of music …. To paraphrase Nietzsche, experiencing music without knowledge may not entirely be a mistake, but experiencing it with the kind of up-to-date knowledge that may be gleaned from Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance is even more marvelous.’

Aaron Kozbelt, PsycCRITIQUES

‘Tan et al.’s volume is an impressive achievement and merits serious consideration by anyone teaching a survey course in music cognition or seeking to recommend to a friend or colleague …. Its 300-odd pages are packed with the most detailed overview of our field we are likely to see in any text in the near term and it covers the major aspects of the field quite comprehensively.’

Richard Ashley, Music Perception

‘[A]ll topics are introduced with sophistication and an interesting balance is provided between references to classical work and more recent work. Similarly, quantitative and qualitative investigations are both included …. The broadness of the book is splendid and allows for a complete introduction to the field. It will indeed be invaluable to undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields of psychology of music ….’

Renee Timmers, British Journal of Music Education

‘The field of Music Psychology has received formative influences from many domains, thus it is no mean feat to create a representative survey of the literature. The authors have met the challenge, achieving a detailed and useful introduction to the field with this text.’

Jessica Grahn, Empirical Musicology Review

‘We expect that this book will play an influential role in establishing the canonical organization for music psychology textbooks and hope to see it go through many editions in the years to come …. Meanwhile, we heartily welcome this ambitious book as a valuable new resource for teaching the psychology of music.’

Roger Chaffin and Alexander Demos, Psychomusicology