EFFECTS OF PRETEST STIMULATIVE AND SEDATIVE MUSIC ON GRIP STRENGTH

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of sti mulative (energizing) and sedative (relaxing) music on grip strength. A 2x3 (gen der x condition) repeated-measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests showed that participants (N=50) evidenced higher grip strength after listening to stimulative music (M=43.94 kg. force) than after sedative music or a white noise control condition. Sedative mus ic yielded lower scores than white noise. Men evidenced higher grip st rength than women, but there was no interaction between gender and mus ic condition. II was concluded that a simple motoric task such as grip strength provides a sensitive measure of psychophysical responses to music.