Awe and Eudaimonic Music Listening: Differences Between Musicians and Non-Musicians and the Moderating Role of Prior Psychedelic Use
Location
SU-214
Start Date
1-5-2026 9:20 AM
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Experiences of awe and self-transcendence during music listening resemble states described in spirituality and mystical experience research, yet these phenomena have rarely been examined using validated psychometric measures in relation to listener characteristics. Music is often described as spiritually powerful, but empirical clarity regarding who experiences these states - and under what conditions - remains limited. The present study examines whether musicians differ from non-musicians in reported awe and eudaimonic functions of music listening (flow, self-transcendence and peak experience), and whether prior psychedelic experience shapes these relationships. Adult participants (N ≈ 100) are recruited through university and online platforms. After recalling a specific past music listening episode, participants complete validated questionnaires measuring of state awe, eudaimonic listening functions (transcendence, flow, and peak experience), and engagement in music use. Musician status is defined using a set of behavioral classification demographic questions, and prior psychedelic use is assessed as a lifetime variable. The study tests whether active music-makers report heightened awe during listening, whether intentional engagement with music predicts stronger meaning-oriented experiences, and whether prior psychedelic exposure is associated with differences in self-transcendent musical engagement. Of particular interest is whether psychedelic history alters the relationship between musician status and experienced awe. By integrating contemporary measures of awe and eudaimonic listening with behavioral classifications of music-making experience, this project aims to clarify how musician status and altered-state history may shape the intensity and structure of profound musical experience.
Faculty Sponsor
Masami Takahashi
Awe and Eudaimonic Music Listening: Differences Between Musicians and Non-Musicians and the Moderating Role of Prior Psychedelic Use
SU-214
Experiences of awe and self-transcendence during music listening resemble states described in spirituality and mystical experience research, yet these phenomena have rarely been examined using validated psychometric measures in relation to listener characteristics. Music is often described as spiritually powerful, but empirical clarity regarding who experiences these states - and under what conditions - remains limited. The present study examines whether musicians differ from non-musicians in reported awe and eudaimonic functions of music listening (flow, self-transcendence and peak experience), and whether prior psychedelic experience shapes these relationships. Adult participants (N ≈ 100) are recruited through university and online platforms. After recalling a specific past music listening episode, participants complete validated questionnaires measuring of state awe, eudaimonic listening functions (transcendence, flow, and peak experience), and engagement in music use. Musician status is defined using a set of behavioral classification demographic questions, and prior psychedelic use is assessed as a lifetime variable. The study tests whether active music-makers report heightened awe during listening, whether intentional engagement with music predicts stronger meaning-oriented experiences, and whether prior psychedelic exposure is associated with differences in self-transcendent musical engagement. Of particular interest is whether psychedelic history alters the relationship between musician status and experienced awe. By integrating contemporary measures of awe and eudaimonic listening with behavioral classifications of music-making experience, this project aims to clarify how musician status and altered-state history may shape the intensity and structure of profound musical experience.