The impact of visual stimuli on music perception

A Haverford College senior psychology thesis project with advisor Marilyn Boltz Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the visual modality on the affective and acoustical perception of music. Prior research has focused largely on the reverse—the effect of music on visual perception. The current study paired unfamiliar and affectively ambiguous tunes with videos and montages pre-rated as positive or negative to determine if visual affect and format influenced the affective ratings of music through acoustical dimensions linked to emotion. Results indicate that visual affect and format predicted responses to acoustical measures. The findings suggest a meaningful effect of film on music perception and have implications toward fields such as memory, marketing, education, and music videos.