The effect of music on imagery was examined by having 164 subjects rate the vividness of suggested images presented with matching music, mismatched music, or no music. Mismatched music led to less vivid images, but there was no overall difference between the matching-music and no-music groups. In comparing subjects on the basis of cognitive style (hemisphere orientation), however, it was found that subjects with a right hemisphere orientation reported less vivid images with matching music than with no music. The same effect occurred with a free image developed with and without music. The results can be interpreted within a hemisphere-sharing interference model, and clearly illustrate individual differences in responses to music and imagery.
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