Effects of Music on Psychophysiological Responses to a Stressful Film

In this experiment musical scores were added to the soundtrack of an industrial safety film that has often been used as a stressful stimulus in psychophysiological research. Two musical scores were composed in accordance with contemporary film scoring techniques in an attempt to increase and decrease the stressfulness ofthe film. Subjects viewed one ofthree versions of the film: (a) the film with no music (control condition), (b) the film with "horror" music (increase condition), and (c) the film with "documentary" music (decrease condition). Physiological responses (cardiovascular, electrodermal, and somatic) were monitored continuously while subjects viewed the film; a report of subjects' perceived anxiety level was also obtained. Results indicated that the film scores were successful in both increasing and decreasing electrodermal responses to the film, compared to the control condition. These results are seen as providing preliminary experimental support for the efficacy of musical scores for manipulating the stressfulness of films.