The Junior Eysenck Personality (Questionnaire was administered to 668 instrumental students in Grades 7 through 12 from eight different schools to determine whether (1) there is a propensity for certain personality types to begin instrumental study in the schools, (2) certain personality types are more likely to continue in instrumental music, (3) there is a trend toward homogeneity of personality type among students who choose to continue in instrumental music across grade levels, and (4) there is a relationship between personality type and continuation on a specific musical instrument. Results revealed that instrumental students are very similar to their noninstrumental counterparts on the personality variables measured across all grades, but some minor differences can be found. Educational implications are drawn and discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arnett, J. (1991). Heavy metal music and reckless behaviour among adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 20(6), 573–592.
2.
Bell, C. R., & Cresswell, A. (1984). Personality differences among musical instrumentalists. Psychology of Music, 12(2), 83–93.
3.
Bergee, M. J. (1992). The relationship between music education majors' personality profiles. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 112, 5–15.
4.
Bleich, S., Zillman, D., & Weaver, J. B. (1991). Enjoyment and consumption of defiant rock music as a function of adolescent rebelliousness. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 35(3), 351–366.
5.
Burton, L. (1985). The effects of musical accompaniment on visual information processing within and across selected personality type groups. Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland.
6.
Caimi, F. J. (1981). Relationships between motivation variables and selected criterion measures of high school band directing success. Journal of Research in Music Education, 29, 183–198.
7.
Davis, C, Cowles, M., & Kohn, P. (1984). Behavioral and physiological aspects of the augmenting-reducing dimension. Personality and Individual Differences, 5(6), 683–691.
8.
Daoussis, L., & Mckelvie, S. J. (1986) Musical preferences and effects of music on a reading comprehension test for extroverts and introverts. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 62, 283–289.
9.
Dollinger, S. J. (1993). Personality and music preference: Extraversion and excitement seeking or openness to experience?Psychology of Music), 21(1) 73–77.
10.
Eysenck, H. J., & Eysenck, S. B. G.(1975). Eysenck Personality (Questionnaire (junior and adult) manual.San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.
11.
Eysenck, S. B. G., & Eysenck, H. J. (1969). “Toughmindedness” in children: A new personality variable. Research in Education, 1, 21–37.
12.
Eysenck, H. J., Easting, G. S., & Eysenck, S. B.G. (1971). Personality measurement in children: A dimensional approach. The Journal of Special Education, 4, 261–268.
13.
Eysenck, H. J., & Eysenck, S. B. G. (1971). The orthogonality of toughmindedness and Emotionality: A factorial study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 33, 461–462.
14.
Eysenck, S. B. G., & Eysenck, H. J. (1973). Test-retest reliabilities of a new personality questionnaire for children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 43, 126–130.
15.
Francis, L. J., & Montgomery, A. (1993). Personality and school-related attitudes among 11-16-year-old girls. Personality and Individual Differences, 14(5), 647–653.
16.
Glasgow, M. R., Cartier, A. M., & Wilson, G. D. (1985). Conservation, sensation seeking, and music preferences. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 395–396.
17.
Hansen, C. H., & Hansen, R. D. (1991). Constructing personality and social reality through music: Individual differences among fans of punk and heavy metal music. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media.35 (3), 335–350.
18.
Kemp, A. E. (1981a) The personality structure of the musician. I: Identifying a profile of traits for the performer. Psychology of Music, 9, 3–14.
19.
Kemp, A. E. (1981b). The personality structure of the musician. II: Identifying a profile of traits for the composer. Psychology of Music, 9, 69–75.
20.
Kemp, A. E. (1981c). Personality differences between players of string, woodwind, brass and keyboard instruments, and singers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, nos. 66-67, 33–38.
21.
Kemp, A. E. (1982a). Personality traits of successful student music teachers. Psychology of Music, [Special issue], 72–75.
22.
Kemp, A. E (1982b). The personality structure of the musician. Ill: The significance of sex differences. Psychology of Music, 10, 48–58.
23.
Kemp, A. E. (1982c). The personality structure of the musician. IV: Incorporating group profiles into a comprehensive model. Psychology of Music, 10, 3–6.
24.
Kemp, A. E. (1985). Psychological androgyny in musicians. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 85, 102–108.
25.
Krueger, R. J. (1974). An investigation of personality and music teaching success. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.
26.
Lewis, B. E., & Schmidt, C. P. (1991). Listeners' response to music as a function of personality type. Journal of Research in Music Education, 39(4), 311–321.
27.
Little, P., & Zuckerman, M (1986). Sensation seeking and music preferences. Personality and Individual differences, 7, 575–577.
28.
Michael, W. B., Barth, G., & and Kaiser, H. F. (1961). Dimensions of temperament in three groups of music teachers. Psychol. Rep., 9, 701–704.
29.
Neilzen, S. & Cesarec, Z. (1981). On the perception of emotional meaning in music. Psychology of Music, 9(2), 17–31.
30.
Schmidt, C. P. (1989a). Applied music teaching behaviors as a function of selected personality variables. Journal of Research in Musk Education, 37(4), 258–271.
31.
Schmidt, C. P. (1989a). Individual differences in perception of applied music teaching feedback. Psychology of Music, 17(2), 110–122.
32.
Schmidt, C. P., & Hicken, L. (1986). An investigation of selected variables as predictors of achievement in music student teaching. Contributions to Music Education, 13, 39–47.
33.
Schmidt, C. P., Lewis, B. E., & Kurpius-Brock, M. J. (1991). Relationships between teacher personality and ratings of applied music teaching behavior. Contributions to Music Education, 19, 20–35.
34.
Slack, J. (1977). Values and personalities of selected high school choral music educators. Journal of Research in Music Education, 25, 243–255.
35.
Wink, R. L. (1970). The relationship of self-concept and selected personality variables to achievement in music student teaching. Journal of Research in Music Education, 28, 234–241.
36.
Wubberhorst, T. M. (1994). Personality characteristics of music educators and performers. The Psychology of Music, 2, 63–74.
