Maidhof Rosa M, Wuttke Alexandra, Kappert Mattes B, Schwerdtfeger Andreas R, Kreutz Gunter, Nater Urs M
Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Stress. 2025 Dec;28(1):2551003. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2025.2551003. Epub 2025 Sep 8.
Music listening may decrease pain via psychobiological mechanisms. Music listening style (MLS) influences music processing: Music empathizers (ME) focus on emotional aspects of music, whereas music systemizers (MS) focus on structural aspects, potentially affecting processes of music-induced analgesia. The effects of the MLS on music-induced analgesia might depend on the source of music selection (i.e. who selects the music) and gender. Different psychological mechanisms, such as stimulus-induced emotions and subjective stress, might mediate the effects of an empathizing versus systemizing MLS on pain. The purpose of this study was (a) to test how MLS influences pain during music listening, depending on the source of music selection and gender, and (b) to explore underlying psychological mechanisms. 61 participants (age: = 24.23, = 3.85; four groups: male/female ME/MS) listened to stimuli (participant-selected/researcher-selected music/control) during cold pressor tests. Pain intensity, pain tolerance, and psychological mechanisms (stimulus-induced emotions, subjective stress) were repeatedly measured. Multilevel and mediation analyses were conducted. The MLS did not directly influence pain, but female ME were most pain sensitive with participant-selected music. Pain was tolerated longest for participant-selected music. The effect of MLS on pain intensity was not mediated by stimulus-induced emotions but by subjective stress. Our results indicate that music increases pain tolerance the most when participants select it. However, we found initial evidence that women scoring high on ME show increased pain when listening to their self-selected music. We also found initial evidence for the importance of subjective stress as a potential mechanism in the context of music-based pain management.
听音乐可能通过心理生物学机制减轻疼痛。音乐聆听风格（MLS）会影响音乐处理：音乐共情者（ME）关注音乐的情感方面，而音乐系统化者（MS）关注结构方面，这可能会影响音乐诱导的镇痛过程。MLS对音乐诱导镇痛的影响可能取决于音乐选择的来源（即谁选择音乐）和性别。不同的心理机制，如刺激诱发的情绪和主观压力，可能介导共情与系统化MLS对疼痛的影响。本研究的目的是（a）测试MLS如何根据音乐选择的来源和性别影响听音乐时的疼痛，以及（b）探索潜在的心理机制。61名参与者（年龄：=24.23，=3.85；四组：男性/女性ME/MS）在冷加压试验期间聆听刺激物（参与者选择/研究者选择的音乐/对照）。重复测量疼痛强度、疼痛耐受性和心理机制（刺激诱发的情绪、主观压力）。进行了多层次和中介分析。MLS并未直接影响疼痛，但女性ME在听参与者选择的音乐时对疼痛最为敏感。参与者选择的音乐的疼痛耐受性持续时间最长。MLS对疼痛强度的影响不是由刺激诱发的情绪介导的，而是由主观压力介导的。我们的结果表明，当参与者选择音乐时，音乐对疼痛耐受性的提高最为显著。然而，我们发现初步证据表明，ME得分高的女性在听自己选择的音乐时疼痛会增加。我们还发现初步证据表明，主观压力作为基于音乐的疼痛管理背景下的一种潜在机制具有重要性。
