RESPONSES TO MUSIC IN AEROBIC EXERCISE AND YOGIC RELAXATION CLASSES

Berlyne's theory of aesthetic response was investigated in two natural istic music listening situations. Fifty participants in an aerobic exe rcise class, and 50 participants in a yogic relaxation class were pres ented with five three-minute musical excerpts representing a range of complexity. Participants rated these excerpts on scales of either liki ng or complexity and appropriateness. The relationship between ratings of liking and complexity was broadly consistent with the prediction o f an inverted-U function, although not significantly so in the data ob tained from the aerobics group. The prediction that a positive monoton ic relationship should exist between ratings of liking and appropriate ness was also confirmed.