Music Preferences and the Adolescent Brain

Abstract

Music plays an important part in the transitional period of life for adolescents as they define their personal and social identities and build their preferences for music. Recent neuroscientific research into the adolescent brain has produced developmental models that work to explain the neural reasons behind teenage behavior and development. These neural responses and developments of the brain provide some understanding for many of the social, as well as musical, choices that teenagers make during this period. By examining processes in the adolescent brain, we can begin to understand some reasons behind choices for music preference, which can aid music educators in determining the best ways to present music to teenagers in the music classroom. The purpose of this article is to present a review of previous research in adolescent brain development, music preference, and the application of such research in the musical education of adolescent students.