The Music Apperception Test

Abstract

The Music Apperception Test (MAT) asks respondents to “tell a story to the music.” Brief compositions portray basic emotions followed by 30-s silent periods. The MAT relies on the emotional import of music, so narratives vary for content, settings, and outcomes. Stories are recorded and transcribed for coding. Thirty-seven MAT variables in ten categories of response are described: Fluency, Latency, Time to Termination, Pace, Content, Interaction, Off-Task Response, Voice, Narrative Style, and Affective Fit. Provisional norms for children, adolescents, and adults, are based on 2,016 responses of 168 individuals. Split-half and test–retest reliabilities for quantitative variables, latency and fluency, exceed .90. Current research is summarized, clinical application is discussed, and recommendations are made for future research.