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From sound to synapses: Music's impact on psychological states & emotional intelligence through mental imagery
Knight, Garett
Knight, Garett
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2026-02-26
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Introduction: Music has long been recognized as a powerful medium capable of evoking profound psychological and emotional responses. Over recent decades, research has increasingly focused on understanding how music influences psychological states, emotional intelligence (EI), and the mind's ability to create vivid mental imagery.
Purpose: This review synthesizes findings from seminal works and recent experimental studies to explore three interconnected themes: music's impact on psychological states, its role in shaping EI, and its capacity to create scenes in the mind's eye.
Method: Using Braun and Clarke's Thematic Analysis (2023), six themes emerged from qualitative interviews with six individuals (N=6), highlighting the nuanced interplay between emotion, cognition, and cultural context.
Findings: Participants described music as a transformative force, capable of regulating mood, eliciting autobiographical memories, and fostering empathy. Higher EI scores correlated with more detailed and emotionally rich interpretations of musical pieces, suggesting that emotional awareness enhances the depth of musical engagement. Additionally, cultural background influenced the imagery and narratives participants associated with specific musical excerpts, highlighting music's role as both a universal and culturally embedded phenomenon. These findings support theoretical frameworks that position music as a dynamic agent in emotional regulation and cognitive processing. By identifying gaps in current research, this review emphasizes the importance of integrating psychological, emotional, and cultural dimensions in future investigations. Ultimately, music emerges not merely as an aesthetic experience but as a complex, multisensory stimulus that shapes human thought, feeling, and imagination.
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Poster project completed at the Wichita State University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; Department of English, Applied Linguistics; and School of Music. Presented at the Kansas Undergraduate Student Research Day at the Capitol, Topeka, KS, February 26, 2026.
Sponsored by Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub, Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.
Sponsored by Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub, Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.
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Wichita State University