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Raglan defines music as a ‘unique human trait strongly linked to motivation and enhances social contact’ (Schulkin and Raglan, 2014) enforced by Darwin who believed that music is ‘tied to our social instinct’ (Darwin, 2007). Music is introduced to us from a young age when our parents sing lullabies to us enabling us to appreciate it from an early age as we link the mental and physical benefits of human contact to music. Music transforms information into engaging and interesting forms adding a fun element to learning as it engages both hemispheres of our brain (Zatorre, 2002). It can enhance our wellbeing by improving our mood and health through its healing powers in everyday life.

Music facilitates social contact which enables us to obtain a sense of belonging allowing us ‘to feel like we are part of something bigger and more important than ourselves’ (Campbell, 2001). The sense of belonging is considered a fundamental human need highlighted third in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s concept was that one has to first achieve the basic needs of survival which include eating and sleeping before they can obtain self-actualisation (Maslow, 1985). When we are born we obtain this sense of belonging from our family reflecting the importance of belonging. Isolation has various psychological related problems including stress which can trigger a domino effect to other health problems (Edmonds, 2010) Prison being the ultimate punishment enforces the value of isolation.

Music allows us to meet new people and socialise with the ones we already know. Self-identity allows us to distinguish ourselves from the rest and bring us closer to others with similar values allowing us to form social groups. These groups allow us to feel a range of emotions including safety. In groups we tend to take risker decisions which can be both negative and positive because it can allow us to live our lives to the fullest, however it can sometimes bring an element of danger (Mataric, 1997.) Social circumstances in music include what may be considered the right music for instance in a Christian community metal rock may be considered the wrong genre because it doesn’t reflect their values. Social class plays a small part as income levels may affect what events the individual can attend. For example, some individuals may have to work extra hours at work so they can afford an event with their friends.

Music offers psychological benefits and acts as a friend for example after a break up people can relate to music that reflects their mood, and those who lost loved ones can use it to remember their loved ones. This process triggers memories which allows individuals to escape from reality. Music brings back lost ones in memory and remind people of the values and concepts those people may have taught them before they passed away for example motivational words can help individuals pull through everyday struggles. The past can be relived through memories when we listen to music. When we listen music linked to positive memories it can produce feel good hormones and temporarily improve our state of wellbeing. Music allows us to transcend and elevate above physical restrictions as it ‘surpasses time, space, language and maths.’ This allows it to be used for deeper purposes such as communicating with the supernatural (Hallam, 2008) to try and understand the things our brains are incapable of answering such as the big questions concerning who we are and the afterlife.

Music affects our mood (Hargreaves and North, 2004) both positively and negatively. The journal of positive psychology by Ferguson states that listening to upbeat music can improve your happiness. Our mood is reflected on how we interact with others for example if you are having a bad day you may react with anger to someone’s comment that may have not triggered that kind of emotional response from you another day. In a working environment a negative mood from a boss or colleague can be contagious affecting staff productivity and potentially cost one their job. For example, in customer services a negative mood would result in a bad experience for the consumer. This would trigger them to spread negative word of mouth increasing the chances of them not purchasing from that brand or service in the future. We tend to remember negative experiences more than positive ones therefore people are bound to remember negative experiences in the future.

Music is everywhere in modern society and cannot be removed from our lives for example in retail it sets the mood increasing the chances of us purchasing (Yalch and Spangenberg, 1993). Modern society uses music to enhance the consumer’s experience for example in video games taking sims for example the music gets you excited making your gaming experience that little extra special (Prensky, 2004). With the perception of what we define as music forever changing (What is music, 2011) even without the use of technological advancements music still cannot be removed from our lives as nature and animals generate sound. Examples of nature generated music includes waterfalls, birds chapping, wolves howling to silence.

Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through songs making their learning process fun and enjoyable. An example of another use of music in education are poems. They can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9(The national curriculum, 2014) because of the highlighted benefits to wellbeing. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for others this could push them even further because they may not be able to access sufficient music lessons as they are expensive. Studies show that listening to Mozart music makes you smarter for a short period of time boosting your intellectual skills (Campbell, 2001). The temporary boost can make all the different when it comes to results for students taking exams. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Music can provide individuals with a feeling of escapism from daily routines and brain workouts for musicians. Playing music helps individuals perform closer to their optimum level on everyday routines. Instrumental playing offers the brain a full workout increasing its efficiency for example research shows that musicians obtain and retrieve memories quicker that non musicians. The brain workouts can work in favour for musicians in problem solving situations such as puzzle solving giving them the edge over others in competitive environments. As a musician playing music allows me to obtain the state of flow noted in the works of Csikszentmihalyi. When playing music, I forget about everything and loose myself to the instrument, a time in which I can let my imagination be stretched to ideal situations producing feel good hormones (Gangrade, 2011). After playing music I feel relaxed and less concerned about my troubles. More people will want to be around me if I’m in a good mood which reduces the chances of isolation from which negative psychological problems can develop.

Music's most powerful property is its ability to heal allowing us to live better lives both mentally and physically however it cannot be considered as a ‘pill to abolish diseases’ (Koelsch, 2012). Music therapy can help in situations where ‘medication has failed’ (Clear, 2016). Communication becomes easier when music is involved because even if you don't know someone you open up more when music is involved because it acts as a mutual friend. Its ability to help the body move allows the patient and the therapist to interact more. People can overcome physical difficulties such as speaking through music because it involves both hemispheres of the brain making it easier to communicate with patients that may have brain damage for example after a stroke (Mannes and Patel, 2011). Singing can be used by patients who can't speak as a form of communication. Children with special needs can benefit from music therapy to overcome difficulties including communication and involvement which allows them to feel valued and important to their environment. When children are happy so are their parents because a child's wellbeing affects them and their parents. The same applies the other way round because children also want their parents to be happy taking an instance where your parent may be in a nursing home because their age and health factors. If your parent has dementia it can be difficult to communicate with them reducing communication while increasing chances of them mentally isolating themselves. In a case like this personalized music therapy can help them transcend back to their memories that can leave them feeling better and allow them to open up more to others. It can also boost their confidence for example even at an old age for musicians participating in playing music can psychologically heal them. The mentioned are just a small part of music therapy and the wonders it can do to improving communication and social interaction in people's lives.

Confidence levels differ within individuals and some individuals have difficulties expressing themselves. Music acts as the mutual friend between human’s acts providing a platform in which people can express themselves. Some individuals may find it easier to express their feelings through music rather than speech. By playing music one can obtain people's attention easier and people will remember that person increasing the chances of them interacting. Expressing one's love is another use of music in everyday life, singing to your loved ones can be used to increase bonding between individuals. 

Music affects how we spent our leisure for example planning and consuming music is money and time consuming. Everything has pros and cons including music, alongside all the health benefits we get from listening and making music comes negatives. If one was to spend the whole day listening to music it reduces productivity from the rest of the required tasks such as work (Clear, 2016). When one does not work they cannot earn money limiting what they can and can't afford in their lifestyle. Lifestyle of an individual will affect their mood and how they behave in society. Music participation activities vary throughout the day, clubbing for example takes place late night and early morning hours. Attending clubs can be beneficial for social interaction however it eats into your time in this instance your sleeping time which if not monitored can lead to health problems. 

Overall music enriches our moods which determine how we feel and are viewed by others by ‘influencing our behaviour’ (Koelsch, 2014). Our moods play a role in social interaction which offers us various feelings that makes up our happy and sad times. The need to belong has physical and psychological benefits that are key to our survival and music facilitates social cohesion and opportunities that enhance different aspects needed for us to be happy.

References:

Campbell, D. G. (2001) The Mozart effect: Tapping the power of music to heal the body, strengthen the mind, and unlock the creative spirit. New York: HarperCollins.

Cherry, K. (2014) What is the need to belong?. Available at: http://psychology.about.com/od/nindex/g/needtobelong.htm# (Accessed: 13 December 2015).

Darwin, C. and Darwin, P. C. (2007) The expression of the emotions in man and animals. United States: BiblioBazaar.

Diener, E., Oishi, S. and Lucas, R. E. (2007) ‘The optimum level of well-being: Can people be too happy?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2(4), pp. 346–360. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6916.2007.00048.x.

Inline Citations: (Diener, Oishi, and Lucas, 2007)

Edmonds, M. (2010) What are the effects of isolation in the mind?. Available at: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/isolation-effects.htm (Accessed: 13 December 2015).

Gangrade, A. (2011) ‘The effect of music on the production of neurotransmitters, hormones, Cytokines, and peptides: A review’, Music and Medicine, 4(1), pp. 40–43. doi: 10.1177/1943862111415117.

Inline Citations: (Gangrade, 2011)

Hallam, S., Cross, I. and Thaut, M. (eds.) (2009) Oxford handbook of music psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hargreaves, D. J. and North, A. C. (eds.) (2004) The social psychology of music / edited by David J. Hargreaves and Adrian C. North. Oxford, [England]: Oxford University Press.

Koelsch, S. (2012) Brain and music. United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell (an imprint of John Wiley & Sons Ltd).

Koelsch, S. (2014) ‘Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions’,Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), pp. 170–180. doi: 10.1038/nrn3666.

Mannes, E. and Patel, A. D. (2011) The power of music: Pioneering discoveries in the new science of song. New York: Walker and Company.

Maslow, A. H. (1985) Self-Actualization. Soundworks.

Inline Citations: (Maslow, 1985)

 Mataric, M. J. (1997) ‘Behaviour-based control: Examples from navigation, learning, and group behaviour’, Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 9(2-3), pp. 323–336. doi: 10.1080/095281397147149.

Prensky, M. (2004) Digital game-based learning. S.l.: McGraw-Hill.

Inline Citations: (Prensky, 2004)

 Schulkin, J. and Raglan, G. B. (2014) The evolution of music and human social capability. Available at: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2014.00292/full (Accessed: 22 January 2016).

The national curriculum (2014) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/key-stage-3-and-4 (Accessed: 25 January 2016).

What is music? (2011) Available at: http://cobussen.com/teaching/what-is-music/ (Accessed: 22 January 2016).

Wind, Y. (1978) ‘Issues and advances in segmentation research’, Journal of Marketing Research, 15(3), p. 317. doi: 10.2307/3150580.

Yalch, R. and Spangenberg, E. (1993) ‘Using Store Music For Retail Zoning: a Field Experiment’, Journal of Consumer Research, 20--issue 3(Pages 632-636). doi: 10.1086/jcr.1993.20.issue-3.

Inline Citations: (Yalch and Spangenberg, 1993)

Zatorre, R. (2002) ‘Trends in cognitive sciences’, Structure and function of auditory cortex: music and speech, 6(1), p. page 37–46.

clear, james (2016) James Clear. Available at: http://jamesclear.com/music-therapy (Accessed: 24 January 2016).

hallam, susan (2008) Oxford Handbook of Music Psychology. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=d-2DYVjNVpQC&oi=fnd&pg=PT64&dq=music+to+communicate+with+the+spirits&ots=aoRmllsVNA&sig=GaJQ5AllU4R4N1L0tamuwxltPeQ#v=onepage&q=music%20to%20communicate%20with%20the%20spirits&f=fals .

chapter 4

how music affects us in everyday lives

Raglan defines music as a ‘unique human trait strongly linked to motivation and enhances social contact’ (Schulkin and Raglan, 2014) enforced by Darwin who believed that music is ‘tied to our social instinct’ (Darwin, 2007). Music is introduced to us from a young age when our parents sing lullabies to us enabling appreciation for it from a young age as we link the mental and physical benefits of human contact to music. Music transforms information into engaging and interesting forms adding a fun element to learning as it engages both hemispheres of our brain. It can enhance our wellbeing through improving our mood and improves many people’s lives through its healing powers.

Music facilitates social contact which enables us to obtain a sense of belonging which allows us ‘to feel like we are part of something bigger and more important that ourselves’ (Campbell, 2001). The sense of belonging is considered a fundamental human need highlighted third in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s concept was that one had to first achieve the basic needs of survival which include eating and sleeping before they can obtain self-actualisation (Maslow, 1985). When we are born we obtain this sense of belonging from our family reflecting the importance of belonging enforced by the prison punishment of isolation. Isolation has various psychological related problems including stress which can trigger a domino effect to other health problems (Edmonds, 2010). 

Music offers psychological benefits to individuals and acts as a friend for example after a break up people can relate to music that reflects their mood and those who lost loved ones can use it to remember their loved ones. This process triggers memories which allows individuals to escape from reality. Music bring back lost ones in memory and remind people of the values and concepts those people may have taught them before they passed away for example motivational words from lost ones can help you pull through everyday struggles.

 Who we are affects who we relate ourselves with which affects the availability we have to resources. Self-identity allows us to distinguish ourselves from others and bring us closer to others with similar values from which we can form groups. These groups allow us to feel a range of emotions including safety. In groups we tend to take risker decisions which can be both negative and positive because it can allow us to live our lives to the fullest but can sometimes bring an element of danger.

 Music surpasses time, space, language and maths allowing it to be used for deeper purposes such as communicating to other beings in the spirit realm for religious individuals. Music can be used to communicate with the supernatural to try and understand the things our brains are incapable of answering such as the big questions concerning who we are and the afterlife.

Music affects our mood (Hargreaves and North, 2004) either positively or negatively. The journal of positive psychology by Ferguson states that listening to upbeat music can improve your happiness. Our mood is reflected on how we interact with others for example if you are having a bad day you may react with anger to someone’s comment that may have not triggered that kind of emotional response from you another day. In a work environment a negative mood from a boss or colleague can be contagious affecting staff productivity and potentially cost on their job. A negative mood in a job that involves customer service would lead to the consumer having a bad experience. This would trigger them to spread negative word of mouth to the people they know and reduces the chances of them purchasing from that brand or service in the future. We tend to remember negative experiences more than positive ones therefore people are bound to remember negative experiences in the future.

The past can be relived through memories when we listen to music. Music allows us to transcend and elevate above physical restrictions. When we play music that is linked to positive memories it can produce feel good hormones and temporarily improve our state of wellbeing.

As individuals we have a self-perception on who we are and how we want to be viewed by others therefore what music we listen then reflects who we are. Music allows us to meet new people and socialise with the ones we already know. Social circumstances in music include what may be considered the right music for instance in a Christian community metal rock may be considered the wrong genre because it doesn’t reflect their values. Social class plays a small part as income levels may affect what events can attend for example some individuals may have to work extra hours at work so they can afford an event with their friends while keeping up with their bills.

Music is everywhere in modern society and cannot be removed from our lives for example music is used in retail to set the mood increasing the chances of us purchasing from that place (Yalch and Spangenberg, 1993). With the perception of what we define as music forever changing (What is music, 2011). Even without the use of technological advancements that have made our lives easier music still cannot be removed from our lives because nature and animals generate ‘music’ from waterfalls to birds sings there is always going to be music in our lives. Modern society uses music to enhance the consumer’s experience for example in video games taking sims for example the music gets you excited making your gaming experience that little extra special (Prensky, 2004). 

Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through songs making their learning process fun and enjoyable. An example of another use of music in education are poems. They can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9 because of the highlighted benefits to wellbeing. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for others this could push them even further because they may not be able to access sufficient music lessons as they are expensive. Studies show that listening to Mozart music makes you smarter for a short period of time boosting your intellectual skills (Campbell, 2001). The temporary boost can make all the different when it comes to results for students taking exams. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Music can provide individuals with a feeling of escapism from daily routines and brain workouts for musicians. Playing music helps individuals perform closer to their optimum level on everyday routines. Instrumental playing offers the brain a full workout increasing its efficiency for example research shows that musicians obtain and retrieve memories quicker that non musicians. The brain workouts can work in favour for musicians in problem solving situations such as puzzle solving giving them the edge over others in competitive environments. As a musician playing music allows me to obtain the state of flow noted in the works of Csikszentmihalyi. When playing music, I forget about everything and loose myself to the instrument, a time in which I can let my imagination be stretched to ideal situations producing feel good hormones (Gangrade, 2011). After playing music I feel relaxed and less concerned about my troubles. More people will want to be around me if I’m in a good mood which reduces the chances of isolation from which negative psychological problems can develop.

Music's most powerful property is its ability to heal allowing us to live better lives both mentally and physically however it cannot be considered as a ‘pill to abolish diseases’ (Koelsch, 2012). Music therapy can help in situations where ‘medication has failed’ (clear, 2016). Communication becomes easier when music is involved because even if you don't know someone you open up more when music is involved because it acts as a mutual friend. Its ability to help the body move allows the patient and the therapist to interact more. People can overcome physical difficulties such as speaking through music because it involves both hemispheres of the brain making it easier to communicate with patients that may have brain damage for example after a stroke (Mannes and Patel, 2011). Singing can be used by patients who can't speak as a form of communication. Children with special needs can benefit from music therapy to overcome difficulties including communication and involvement which allows them to feel valued and important to their environment. When children are happy so are their parents because a child's wellbeing affects them and their parents. The same applies the other way round because children also want their parents to be happy taking an instance where your parent may be in a nursing home because their age and health factors. If your parent has dementia it can be difficult to communicate with them reducing communication while increasing chances of them mentally isolating themselves. In a case like this personalized music therapy can help them transcend back to their memories that can leave them feeling better and allow them to open up more to others. It can also boost their confidence for example even at an old age for musicians participating in playing music can psychologically heal them. The mentioned are just a small part of music therapy and the wonders it can do to improving communication and social interaction in people's lives.

Confidence levels differ within individuals and some individuals have difficulties expressing themselves. Music acts as the mutual friend between human’s acts providing a platform in which people can express themselves. Some individuals may find it easier to express their feelings through music rather than speech. By playing music one can obtain people's attention easier and people will remember that person increasing the chances of them interacting. Expressing one's love is another use of music in everyday life, singing to your loved ones can be used to increase bonding between individuals. 

Music affects how we spent our leisure for example planning and consuming music is money and time consuming. Everything has pros and cons including music, alongside all the health benefits we get from listening and making music comes negatives. If one was to spend the whole day listening to music it reduces productivity from the rest of the required tasks such as work. When one does not work they cannot earn money limiting what they can and can't afford in their lifestyle. Lifestyle of an individual will affect their mood and how they behave in society. Music participation activities vary throughout the day, clubbing for example takes place late night and early morning hours. Attending clubs can be beneficial for social interaction however it eats into your time in this instance your sleeping time which if not monitored can lead to health problems. 

Overall music enriches our moods which determine how we feel and are viewed by others by ‘influencing our behaviour’ (Koelsch, 2014) Our moods play a role in social interaction which offers us various feelings that makes up our happy and sad times. The need to belong has physical and psychological benefits that are key to our survival and music facilitates social cohesion and opportunities that enhance different aspects needed for us to be happy. 

Hardy

Mandela believed that education is the best tool that can be used to change the world.Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through a song. Songs are catchy and offer an element of fun making it easier to memorize information. Other forms of music are also used to maximize making the learning experience enjoyable.An example is poems, they can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9. I think that this is because of the highlighted benefits to well being linked to music. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for other this could push them even further. Music can be used as a study companion for students to help them focus. Studies show that listening to Mozart music makes you smarter for a short period of time boosting your intellectual skills by a small amount which can make all the different when it comes to results. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.


Music can provide individuals with a feeling of escapism from everyday life routines and obligations. As a musician playing music allows me to obtain the state of flow noted in the works of Csikszentmihalyi. When playing music I forget about everything and loose myself to the instrument, a time in which i can let my imagination be stretched to ideal situations producing feel good hormones. After playing music I feel relaxed and less concerned about my troubles which i then translate to the people around me. More people will want to be around me if i'm in a good mood which reduces the chances of isolation from which negative psychological problems can develop.

Playing music has a benefits which help the individual perform at closer to their optimum level on everyday routines. Instrumental playing offers the brain a full workout increasing its efficiency for example research shows that musicians obtain and retrieve memories quicker that non musicians. The brain workouts can work in favor for musicians in problem solving situations such as puzzle solving giving them the edge over others in competitive environments.

Music's most powerful property is its ability to heal allowing us to live better lives both mentally and physically. Music therapy can help in situations where medication has failed. Communication becomes easier when music is involved because even if you don't know someone you open up more when music is involved because it acts as a mutual friend. Its ability to help the body move allows the patient and the therapist to interact more. People can overcome physical difficulties such as speaking through music because it involves both hemispheres of the brain making it easier to communicate with patients that may have had a stroke for example. Singing can be used by patients who can't speak as a form of communication. Children with special needs can benefit from music therapy to overcome difficulties including communication and involvement which allows them to feel valued and important to their environment. When children are happy so are their parents because a child's well being affects them and their parents. The same applies the other way round because children also want their parents to be happy taking an instance where your parent may be in a nursing home because their age and health factors. If your parent has dementia it can be difficult to communicate with them reducing communication and them mentally isolating themselves because they don't feel valued. In a case like this personalized music therapy can help them transcend back to their memories that can leave them feeling better and allow them to open up more to others. It can also boost their confidence for example even at an old age for musicians participating in playing music can psychologically heal them. The mentioned are just a small part of music therapy and the wonders it can do to improving communication and social interaction in people's lives.

Confidence levels differ within individuals and some individuals have difficulties expressing themselves. Music as the mutual friend between humans acts as a platform that allows people to express themselves. Some individuals may find it easier to express their feelings through music rather than speech. By playing music one can obtain people's attention easier and people will remember that person increasing the chances of them interacting. Expressing one's love is another use of music in everyday life, singing to your loved ones can be used to increase bonding between individuals.

Music affects how we spent our leisure for example planning and consuming music is time and financially consuming. Everything has pros and cons including music , alongside all the health benefits we get from listening and making music comes negatives. If one was to spend the whole day listening to music it reduces productivity  from the rest of the required tasks such as work. When one does not work they cannot earn money limiting what they can and can't afford in their lifestyle. Lifestyle of an individual will affect their mood and how they behave in society. Music participation activities vary through out the day clubbing for example takes place late night and early morning hours. Attending clubs can be beneficial for social interaction however it eats into your time in this instance your sleeping time which if not monitored can lead to health problems.

start to essay

Although we may find it hard to conclude on a universal definition of the word music with shared concepts and perceptions only forming the pi of the diverse term. Raglan defines it as a ‘unique human trait strongly linked to motivation and enhances social contact’ (Schulkin and Raglan, 2014). This concept is enforced by Darwin who believed that music is ‘tied to our social instinct’ (Darwin, 2007) which implies that music plays a crucial role in our lives perhaps more than we appreciate as it. Music is forever evolving and changing making it harder to define the term however we can agree that it allows us to archive a number of things including communicating, learning and self-expression. Our ability to create music is a human imprint which allows music to paint out our past strongly linking it to our roots and who we are.

 Music allows us to communicate our values and feelings to others in a social setting. It is introduced to us from a young age when our parents sing lullabies to us allowing us to appreciate music from a young age and consider it to be pleasant because we know the physical and mental benefits linked to that sound produced by our parents that provide for us. The affections we get from birth imprints the importance of human contact because we learn that contact with other humans provides us with food, shelter, clothing and affection. One of the main roles of music in our everyday lives is its ability to facilitate social contact. Social contact enables us to obtain a sense of belonging which is a fundamental human need furthermore highlighted third in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s concept was that one had to first achieve the basic needs of survival which include eating and sleeping before they can obtain self-actualisation.

Music can be used for comfort an individual for example in a scenario of a break up people find it easier to listen to music that reflects their mood because they can relate to the message in the song. Music can also comfort people on a deeper level for example after death of someone they valued. Listening to music can help them remember the values that the lost one lived by for example if that person emphasised that you should never give up then that can comfort and motivate you to make them proud by not giving up when things get hard.

When we are born we obtain this sense of belonging from our family and we continue to seek it when we grow up into adulthood because of its benefits. When one doesn’t feel like they belong it affects their wellbeing and isolates them from society. This leads to various psychological related problems including stress which can trigger other health problems that cause more problems creating a domino effect which can break down an individual from the inside out. A prison is an example of the impacts of isolation as individuals have long periods of isolation which forces them to have psychological problems as they overthink.  

Who we are affects who we relate ourselves to which translates on how we live our lives. Music can be used to identify who we are which helps us express who we. Self-identity allows us to distinguish ourselves from others and bring us closer to others with similar values from which we can form groups. These groups allow us to feel a range of emotions which we feel as children when we are growing up and the group becomes a family figure in our lives. We feel safer in groups and tend to take risker decisions which can be both negative and positive because it can allow us to live our lives to the fullest but can sometimes bring an element of danger. Music surpasses time, space, language and maths allowing it to be used for deeper purposes such as communicating to other beings in the spirit realm. Music can be used to communicate with the supernatural to try and understand the things our brains are incapable of answering such as the big questions concerning who we are and the afterlife. Religious individuals can use music to communicate to their creator to get a clearer image of who they are and what they should do in given circumstances.

Music affects our mood (Hargreaves and North, 2004) either positively or negatively. The journal of positive psychology by Ferguson states that listening to upbeat music can improve your happiness. Our mood is reflected on how we interact with others for example if you are having a bad day you may react with anger to someone’s comment that may have not triggered that kind of emotional response to you another day. People feeding off positive vibes are likely to get us feeding off positive vibes and likewise when it is negative vibes being emitted. In a work environment a negative mood from a boss or colleague can be contagious which would affect productivity. A negative mood in a job that involves customer service would lead to the consumer having a bad experience which they will relate to the brand/service. This would trigger them to spread negative word of mouth to the people they know and reduces the chances of them purchasing from the brand or service in the future. We tend to remember negative experiences more than positive ones therefore people are bound to remember negative experiences in the future. A negative mood could cost one their job therefore listening to music on the way to work can play a positive role to an individual.

The past can be relived through memories when we listen to music. Music allows us to transcend and elevate above physical restrictions. When we play music that is linked to positive memories it can produce feel good hormones and temporarily improve our state of wellbeing however it can also trigger sad memories because the individual for instance may have been financially stable in their memories but straggling in the present.

As individuals we have a self-perception on who we are and how we want to be viewed by others. What music we listen to reflects who we are therefore people would have different preferences to music. Music allows us to meet new people and socialise with the ones we already know. The different genres create groups and division between music and this is mainly because we all have different preferences to what we listen to. Factors of what music we listen to may include social circumstances, social class, lifestyle, age and genre. Friends influence what we listen to but they are likely to like the same type of music we do. Social circumstances are what may be considered the right music for instance in a Christian community metal rock may be considered the wrong genre because it doesn’t reflect their values. Social class plays a small part as income levels may affect what events can attend for example if one went to a festival....... 

Mandela believed that education is the best tool that can be used to change the world.Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through a song. Songs are catchy and offer an element of fun making it easier to memorize information. Other forms of music are also used to maximize making the learning experience enjoyable.An example is poems, they can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9. I think that this is because of the highlighted benefits to well being linked to music. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for other this could push them even further.  Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Mandela believed that education is the best tool that can be used to change the world. Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through a song. Songs are catchy and offer an element of fun making it easier to memorize information. Other forms of music are also used to maximize making the learning experience enjoyable. An example is poems, they can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9. I think that this is because of the highlighted benefits to wellbeing linked to music. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for other this could push them even further. Music can be used as a study companion for students to help them focus. Studies show that listening to Mozart music makes you smarter for a short period of time boosting your intellectual skills by a small amount which can make all the different when it comes to results. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Music can provide individuals with a feeling of escapism from everyday life routines and obligations. As a musician playing music allows me to obtain the state of flow noted in the works of Csikszentmihalyi. When playing music, I forget about everything and loose myself to the instrument, a time in which I can let my imagination be stretched to ideal situations producing feel good hormones. After playing music I feel relaxed and less concerned about my troubles which I then translate to the people around me. More people will want to be around me if I’m in a good mood which reduces the chances of isolation from which negative psychological problems can develop.

Playing music has a benefits which help the individual perform at closer to their optimum level on everyday routines. Instrumental playing offers the brain a full workout increasing its efficiency for example research shows that musicians obtain and retrieve memories quicker that non musicians. The brain workouts can work in favor for musicians in problem solving situations such as puzzle solving giving them the edge over others in competitive environments.

Music's most powerful property is its ability to heal allowing us to live better lives both mentally and physically. Music therapy can help in situations where medication has failed. Communication becomes easier when music is involved because even if you don't know someone you open up more when music is involved because it acts as a mutual friend. Its ability to help the body move allows the patient and the therapist to interact more. People can overcome physical difficulties such as speaking through music because it involves both hemispheres of the brain making it easier to communicate with patients that may have had a stroke for example. Singing can be used by patients who can't speak as a form of communication. Children with special needs can benefit from music therapy to overcome difficulties including communication and involvement which allows them to feel valued and important to their environment. When children are happy so are their parents because a child's wellbeing affects them and their parents. The same applies the other way round because children also want their parents to be happy taking an instance where your parent may be in a nursing home because their age and health factors. If your parent has dementia it can be difficult to communicate with them reducing communication and them mentally isolating themselves because they don't feel valued. In a case like this personalized music therapy can help them transcend back to their memories that can leave them feeling better and allow them to open up more to others. It can also boost their confidence for example even at an old age for musicians participating in playing music can psychologically heal them. The mentioned are just a small part of music therapy and the wonders it can do to improving communication and social interaction in people's lives.

Confidence levels differ within individuals and some individuals have difficulties expressing themselves. Music as the mutual friend between human’s acts as a platform that allows people to express themselves. Some individuals may find it easier to express their feelings through music rather than speech. By playing music one can obtain people's attention easier and people will remember that person increasing the chances of them interacting. Expressing one's love is another use of music in everyday life, singing to your loved ones can be used to increase bonding between individuals. 

Music affects how we spent our leisure for example planning and consuming music is time and financially consuming. Everything has pros and cons including music, alongside all the health benefits we get from listening and making music comes negatives. If one was to spend the whole day listening to music it reduces productivity from the rest of the required tasks such as work. When one does not work they cannot earn money limiting what they can and can't afford in their lifestyle. Lifestyle of an individual will affect their mood and how they behave in society. Music participation activities vary throughout the day clubbing for example takes place late night and early morning hours. Attending clubs can be beneficial for social interaction however it eats into your time in this instance your sleeping time which if not monitored can lead to health problems. 

MUSIC __

music is a core human experience 

functional----promotes our well-being 

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2014.00292/full

 (Schulkin and Raglan ,2014)

different types of leisure

question on networks

participation and trends

leisure contraints

events and leisure experiences

climate change effect on events and leisure

leisure and space

experience economy

socio-demographic change in the UK ______ ageing
aged society
more women in higher education --work
some women dont want kids / relationships

ecapism and tranformation

co-creation      torcisden (3 factors )

exam prep ___ DEFINING LEISURE analysis and notes

Defining leisure

Leisure is time spent away from obligations, work both paid and unpaid, and tasks required for existing e.g. sleeping and eating (remaining time from the above noted) … some people believe it can be archived from almost any type of event. Non leisure and leisure times can be separated more accurately by a combination of three or more of these factors (enjoyment, freedom of choice, relaxation, intrinsic motivation—activities done for internal satisfaction and not for extrinsic benefits e.g. money-- and lack of evaluation) The noted FACTORS may differ from sex (housework and childcare can be viewed differently by both sexes), age, life style and social economical class making it harder to have a cumulative universal definition of the term leisure. 

leisure should be described in its own term not through activity 
People can either consume or participate in leisure

Shaw(1985)  a combination of freedom of choice , enjoyment and some form of evaluation (personal for females and evaluation from others for male) gives a more accurate definition of leisure.  

Leisure activities are high in enjoyment and relaxation while non leisure activities are seen to be those high in physical effort than mental effort. These factors vary from situations and individuals --- two thirds of leisure activities while the other third is sanctification found in non leisure) ---- Havighurst's theory enforcer 'equivalence of work and play' 



Only approximately half of all leisure situations are perceived as freely chosen or as intrinsically motivated (Shaw,1985)

Approach one

--asking people what they defined as leisure ‘pleasure, relaxation, the absence of obligations, and the absence of pressures’

Trouble with this approach is that it didn’t make it clear if these were individual or socially perceived definition of the word leisure

Approach two

--Examining values and satisfactions related to leisure

Trouble with this approach is that it’s based around outcomes and functions rather than what makes the activity or situation LEISURE and is questioned by Havighurst’s theory of the ‘equivalence of work and play ‘  which indicates that people get the same satisfactions from working as they do when they are playing.




*personal feelings are important when discriminating work and leisure  ---only reading books and cultural events were considered leisure in a research experiment (Shaw 1985) -----what one may classify as leisure can be considered as work to another individual e.g child care or shopping which highlights problems of conceptualizing leisure in the form of 'activity' . 

There are more situations that lack of evaluation from others than self evaluation which also affects the definition of leisure.  Cultural definitions are vague and unreliable almost just stereotypical as there is not enough evidence that shows leisure is defined the same by all people of a culture.  


In the beginning there was just survival and as humans fulfilled survival tasks they started to free up some time for leisure and overtime there has been advancement in leisure as we have learnt to adapt our environment to us rather than the other way round.  First advancement was the discovery of fire and controlling fire , this allowed our ancestors to use night time that they were previously not able to as they relied on the sun to provide warmth and light. The spare time in the evening allowed them to perform tasks that were more complicated tasks that have allowed advancement in the human evolution of lifestyle and leisure. This included tasks like planning when and where they were going to hunt for the prey and other imaginative ideas. Fire also allowed them to enjoy cooked food which at the time was a new form of leisure, it also reduced fears of environmental pressures like being attacked by other animals (allowed them to see predators coming that having to rely on their hearing to protect them) Free time allowed the species to advance and create new tools to better their lives and create even more free time which leads me to assume that leisure is significant to improving our species. Progression was ongoing as more and more inventions were made life expectancy increased and so did our population till man was forced to move away from hunting to another food source which was agriculture , this forced man to settle forming communities while population forced man to spread across the globe for fertile and unclaimed lands... this led to war and people fighting over land therefore communities built military armies to survive an invasions and for others it was armies to invade and enlarge their community. Communities meant that people needed leaders there arose high priests and kings who didn't have to perform everyday tasks but had to plan the efficiency community plans like defense teams , trading and religion tasks. Freeing these people allowed them to plan and invent new things which allowed more free time for the rest of the people for example religion obligated that one day was to be a day of worship to the creator , a day free of work , a day filled with dancing and singing. 

Economics of leisure__________
the reduced hours allowed people to have more time freeing even more time for leisure and a chance to better society. With all this free time came economical growth nations which allowed recreational services to be formed to allow the public to enjoy its fair share of recreation. Recreational services are community offered services like public school , libraries, churches , parks , playgrounds and others of that nature. 

Urban vs rural areas _______
Urban areas are fertile soil for leisure and one of the reason why this is plainly is because of the attitudes of urban people. They are more open to new governmental functions as they believe this would better their living. Rural people on the other end mostly are not open to change and rural areas are known more for work (agriculture) than leisure therefore governmental offers of bringing these leisure facilities may not seem attractive to them. Some people however crave change which is reflected in the high numbers of people moving to urban areas and a few rural areas combining themselves with nearby areas to form little towns that are more open to business and development plans. The increase of numbers in urban areas means that there needs to be an increase in the recreational service department which is an economical issue for the government as high amounts of money need to be designated to that department for it to function at its current level. On the positive side many rural areas now have access to transport and electricity bridging the gap between the urban and rural life and arguable in the future the percentage of rural areas is likely to decrease.

Acceptance of leisure 

the growth of leisure has accelerated by the breakdown of religious taboos and traditional cultural prejudices as a philosophy more torrent to leisure has been generally accepted. Church is an example , it is now considered leisure and people are not as obligated to attend. Churches have also became more tolerant to the change for example some churches allow recreational leisure to be carried out in the church, the number of prohibited activities on a Sunday have also decreased from the law. Growth of leisure and civilization has allowed free time for all where only a few privileged ones would have enjoyed it in the past and LEISURE HAS BEEN AN ELEMENT OF LIFE.


REFLECTING ON LEISURE

leisure as recreation 

leisure is CHANGING and was seen different from the Greek times in contrast to modern society. The Greek saw leisure as a time set aside for creativity and learning. However leisure declined alongside Greek years as the early christian fathers emphasized the immorality practiced during leisure (this Calvinistic conception has a huge influence on how people saw leisure) therefore decreased the number of people taking part in leisure activities as people felt a tingle of guilt during activities. This explains the moral decay of America because people didn't make full use of leisure. The greeks considered ordinary work only fit for slaves which freed up more of their time allowing them to read more and dig into the concept of defining leisure , each generation dag deeper into leisure as recreation till the two were seen as identical. 

This type of thinking has carried on till this day as reflected by writters who link the two for example the most used defination of recreation is 'worthy use of leisure'... recreation has nothing to do with a specific time because its a behavior that takes place in time. ---campers are not considered terms of the forest even though their actions take place in the Forrest.

leisure as pleasure 

happiness is a product of a good life. and its attained through leisure that which gives happiness , enjoyment and pleasure (Aristotle--Greek philosopher),,,something needs to happen during leisure for happiness to occur, there is no happiness end result if participants are taking part but are not happy i.e. no guarantee of happiness from leisure activities as lack of activities results in one not missing an opportunity to attain pleasure :/ but you cant explain leisure by the word pleasure!!!!
 Hedonism philosophy encourages one persist on what brings them pleasure and reject what doesn't (do more of what makes your happy and less of what brings you down) however the things that bring pleasure may be unethical raising questions for this way of thinking

Leisure as rejuvenation
Some philosophers believe that leisure is a necessary to help one recharge and get back to working at optimum level raising questions as to weather leisure is essential to our daily lives. The work ethic mentality is seen in people who believe work is the primary way to self realization. Cutten said 'to enjoy leisure is only one way of its use and its likely to be misused' this philosopher believed that there are opportunities of work in leisure and highlighted that the average individual of the current generation works less than his father did however they are not happier. This reflects on weather leisure makes you happy and if more leisure makes you more happier.  Work can never be complete according to Aristotle therefore leisure was the needed time off work (enforces work ethic, if we are not working we are playing and playing being the purpose of life seems foolish?? )

Leisure as a state of being
De Grazia defines leisure as a state of being in contrast to it as the idea of FREE time. he believes that free time refers to calculating a special kind of time while leisure is a state of being that few desire but even fewer obtain. 'freedom from the necessity of work' by Aristotle is what De Grazia considers a state of being.

 ' one mans labor occupation is another mans leisure occupation' (jacks L.P 19,32) ---this makes no sense because labor is a an action result of motivation while leisure is not an action its a state ---the comparison cant be made as these are two different concepts ___work and play both can obtain leisure aspects which makes more sense if leisure is seen as a state rather than an activity.

 leisure can be viewed in different way e.i if one interpreted a contemplative act as leisure that makes leisure a state of being while if leisure is viewed as specific time fee from work then contemplation is only an experience one chooses during leisure. Contemplation is total absorption in a thought dealing with a particular idea or subject You cant define what one does during leisure as leisure which makes more sense if we viewed leisure as a state of being.

trouble with viewing leisure as a state of mind is that we are concluding that it can be archived at any point which includes works however work has been regarded the antitheses of leisure since humans recall of historical information ___ first humans focused on survival -work - to stay alive then came Free time that allowed activities other than survival as time passed.

Leisure as a Function (French sociologist Dumazedier defines leisure as a function ) 
  leisure shouldn't be defined as a function because that defines recreational leisure (leisure activities) which are a form of leisure but not the only way to describe leisure....the mixing of leisure and recreation definitions started in Greek times and have continued till modern day ...... recreational activities occur in FREE TIME and have FUNCTIONS of RELAXING , RECUPERATION , SELF EXPRESSION and SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT and contain FEATURES of subjective NEED , VOLUNTARY , HEDONISTIC and performed for its OWN SAKE (intrinsically motivated)

if leisure was an activity then there would be little argument over the definition of leisure :) but its not just an activity !!!

Leisure as time
Leisure time is only when individuals can enter and exit without any feeling of moral revulsion or self denial!!!!

defining leisure as a particular segment of time (non tangible) enables us to get a more accurate definition because it doesn't define how the individual decides to spend that time. The concept of leisure as free time ---free from: (leisure constraints )

 sociocultural obligations (cutting the front lawn because your neighbors expect you to---religious congregation --caring for the elderly and infants because society expects you to) WE are brought up to believe what is right and wrong therefore what we are taught to be right we feel the need to follow and sometimes by doing this we add leisure constraints.

 biological functions(needed to survive _eat ,sleep_ ,

economic wealth (monetary activities _work needed for survival)

other constraints include the law because we are unable to do some things because the law believe they hinder the better of society ( this is because leisure does have negative results as well as positive ones and the law try and minimize the negative results of leisure)

Commitments can be constraints too were they were originally joined as for the satisfactions they provide but soon constraint the participant by them having to committee to attending those sessions because others may rely on them or they feel guilty for leaving.

Leisure is free time regardless of how the individual spends it and Parker argues that two tasks can be performed at the same time for example you can talk while you listen to the radio therefore you main attain leisure at work however leisure and work should not be confused as they are two different things ----IDONT AGREE WITH HIS THEORY


Casual and Serious Leisure (sub catergory of recreation ? )

Serious Leisure has the Need to persevere and requires personal effort through knowledge expansion and one's skill enhancement through training which offers durable benefits from the pursuits /goals attained producing satisfaction to the individual.Types of of serious leisure include Amateur activities, hobbies , volunteering , active entertainment and sociable conversation.

Casual leisure is relatively short lived and requires very little or no training at all to take part in . Its more pleasurable than serious leisure, not identified with pursuits and offers immediate intrinsic rewards. Types of casual pleasure would be relaxation , passive entertainment , play and sensory stimulation.

'classificatory home of much of the deviant leisure' Rojek (1997


I think that serious leisure is likely to occur in a group setting because one may feel the need to pull their wait so they dont let others down maximising the chances of winning in competetive environments ---serious leisure is likely to be competetive , individuals work torwards goals to increase their knowlegde and skill levels so that they can be better than others in the same field , makes them feel superior -more valued and important -hero factor --- remembered.
Casual leisure is likely to be performed for intrinsic motivations , for the sake of the activity (trait of recreation) less pressure to the individual which has a relaxing reward.

Serious leisure erases the line of work and leisure and enforces that work can be leisure

deviant leisure shows the misuse of leisure and the importance of using leisure productively , its not all bad as law minimizes the deviant leisure ---consumption of pornography and media consumption of violent behavior are not really emphasized by the law enough----- however most of it is left unattended like the 'neknominate' challenge which is basically a misuse of alcohol , most of it is encouraged in the media like gambling , graffiti (used in soft drink adverts and car commercials)

___________________



Consumption ???---- three definitions

consuming Food or Drink
consuming Being consumed by fire or envy
consuming as in Purchasing Goods and Services

Changing times --- there is an increasing pressure to by leisure rather than make it ourselves -- citizens have been transformed to consumers ,

_____________________


Climate change

The change in climate will result in server weather conditions for example heavy rain and drier summers would force outdoor events to be postponed or cancelled more often. The weather influences people in their decision making as to what activities they are going to take part in, Walking is an example of an activity that would be difficult in severe hot conditions predicted in the future if we do not reduce green gas levels. This means that those providing leisure opportunities that may not be pleasurable in high heat will suffer which will have a knock on effect on the economy of the providing location. People will loose their jobs while new opportunities may expand for example more indoor activities will provide new jobs and new leisure for consumers. The new opportunities will have to be generated to adapt to the weather which may cause cause difficulty in designs and an increased cost of construction. indoor arenas would allow people to experience outdoor events , which will need increase in electrical consumption forcing providers to charge more because they will need to use a source that doesn't give  out much green house gasses to add on to the problem. Tourists seeking high temperature sea side destinations will no longer be travelling to those places because they would be too hot opening up opportunities for other countries to attract more tourists. Isolated business centers will experience potential communication breakdowns(flooded electrical transmitters, roads and telephone wires) which will decline business because people expect to have full electrical, internet and road access. For the locations with increased consumers because they offer better facilities maintenance may gradually become difficult as increased numbers will be expected. Holiday accommodation providers near coastal areas or large lakes will not be able to afford flooding insurance which will lead to them increasing their prices to the consumers. Climate change will result in increased fuel costs.

___________________________

Social space is a physical or virtual space that allows people to gather in. Social space is sometimes viewed as space for an identified purpose for example when school or church are mention one knows what activities happen in that social space. Another view of social space is that everywhere is social space therefore wherever you are that's social space enforced by the use of the internet as people can connect to their virtual social spaces from anyway with internet access. Migration is everywhere , this highlights the change in times as social space would have been limited to a certain few due to transportation advancements we can now travel and access other social spaces.

Havighurst's ----'equivalence of work and play' 
Czicksentmihly ------flow 
Jacks L.P ---one mans work is another man's leisure
Parker------two tasks can be performed at the same time 
De Grazia --- leisure as a state of being
Shaw---personal feelings have an impact on separating work and leisure
Shaw---leisure is a combination of enjoyment, form of evaluation and freedom of choice
Aristotle ----leisure is 'freedom from the necessity of work'
Dumazedier ----leisure as a function
Stebbins ---serious leisure 

espouse means support or adopt

 Antithesis is the Greek for setting opposite 

Discrepancy –inconsistency or lack of similarities or variation alternative

futile means pointless or incapable of producing results