Sounds of the self: exploring music as a self-construal priming tool

Markus and Kitayama identified two types of self-construal, namely interdependent and independent, that reflect cultural differences in self-perception. Based on this framework, research has shown that self-construal influences many aspects of behavior. To investigate causal hypotheses related to culture, researchers have developed various methods for priming self-construal, such as using cultural icons. Given that music is a cultural product that conveys cultural values, it holds potential as a means to prime interdependent and independent self-construals. This study explored whether music could serve as a self-construal priming manipulation. Thirty bicultural participants (ethnically Chinese Singaporeans) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a control condition, a Chinese music condition, or a Western music condition. Mixed-model ANOVA results showed significant main effects but no significant interaction effects. Specifically, participants reported significantly lower scores for both interdependent and independent self-construals at the post-test compared to the pre-test, regardless of the music condition. Further analysis revealed significant changes in particular self-construal dimensions, including self-direction vs. reception to influence, consistency vs. variability, and self-interest vs. commitment to others, between pre-test and post-test across all music conditions. These findings underscore the complexity of using music to prime self-construals, which may explain why no studies to date have utilized this priming method. Nonetheless, this study highlights the profound impact listening to music, and even silence, can have on self-perception and identity. Further research is needed to establish the reliability of music-based priming and understand its underlying mechanisms.