Is There an Association Between Personality Dimensions and Music with Problematic Social Motives?

Abstract

Introduction: Music represents a universal form of expression, and throughout human evolution, various musical genres have often emerged, with their preference being linked to different personality traits.

 Aim: The research examines the relationship between personality traits and the preference for “šund” music. “Šund” music is a musical genre that originated in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, characterized by lyrics that promote antisocial behavior, with key themes such as violence, immorality, drug use, and alcoholism.

 Materials and Methods: The correlation study involved 234 participants aged between 15 and 25 from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, out of which 68% were female. The participants completed an online survey in which they evaluated various audio clips of songs categorized as “šund”, along with demographic data and the HEXACO PI-R questionnaire. 

Results: The regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between openness to experience and honesty-humility with preferences for “šund” music. In contrast, emotionality was positively correlated with a preference for “šund” music, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness did not yield significant correlations. Collectively, the set of personality traits accounted for 16.1% of the variance in “šund” music preference.

 Conclusion: Personality traits within the HEXACO model represent a significant predictor of preferences for “šund” music; however, future research should focus on the impact of “šund” music on the social environment.