Listening to bass-banging hits sparks a real sense of power.
According to a study published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers have linked the booming sounds of the bass with inspiring psychological effects such as abstract thinking and feeling control.
The study, conducted by researchers at Northwestern University, found that while the sounds of the bass won't make you feel happier, the distinct sound does make you feel in control.
In one of a series of studies, researchers asked undergraduates to listen to short pieces of instrumental music, including one with a bass line and one without. The participants then rated how dominant and determined they felt, as well as other feelings such as excitement.
Titled, "The Music of Power: Perceptual and Behavioral Consequences of Powerful Music," researchers found that the music with the bass line evoked "a sense of power and produce power-related cognition and behavior."
Music has previously been linked to positive emotions, but the study focused on music's direct effect on power and its consequences.
Researchers also found that music sparked a contagion mechanism linked to hearing the human voice. As the singer expresses emotions in a song, the listener experiences similar emotional states. They then concluded that if music conveys power, the listener could be influenced to produce their own state of power.
The findings concluded that hearing music with a strong bass could trigger a psychological experience of "moving first, " proving that music as a lingering effect on behavior, even when the music ends.
"When watching major sports events, my coauthors and I frequently noticed athletes with their earphones on while entering the stadium and in the locker room," study author Dennis Hsu says in an editorial accompanying the study.
Blast the bass before a big event to get the motivational feelings of determination and dominance.
