ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B
主办:中国心理学会
   中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理学报 ›› 2025, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (4): 544-558.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.0544 cstr: 32110.14.2025.0544

• 亲社会行为专刊(2) • 上一篇    下一篇

音乐训练与音乐素养对共情能力的影响

华山1,2,, 姜欣桐1,2,, 高扬震宇4, 穆妍1,2(), 杜忆1,2,3()   

  1. 1中国科学院心理研究所, 北京 100101
    2中国科学院大学心理学系, 北京 100049
    3北京脑科学与类脑研究所, 北京 102206
    4中国科学院大学生命科学学院, 北京 100049
  • 收稿日期:2023-11-14 发布日期:2025-02-06 出版日期:2025-04-25
  • 通讯作者: 杜忆, E-mail: duyi@psych.ac.cn;
    穆妍, E-mail: muy@psych.ac.cn
  • 作者简介:第一联系人:

    †华山和姜欣桐为共同第一作者

  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金(32071016);国家自然科学基金(32271129);国家自然科学基金(32471126);中国科学院心理研究所科学基金(E4JY292266)

The impacts of music training and music sophistication on empathy

HUA Shan1,2,, JIANG Xintong1,2,, GAO Yangzhenyu4, MU Yan1,2(), DU Yi1,2,3()   

  1. 1Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China
    2Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
    3Chinese Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
    4College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2023-11-14 Online:2025-02-06 Published:2025-04-25

摘要:

共情能力是预测和促进亲社会行为的重要因素, 音乐经验对共情能力的发展有着重要作用。本研究以特质共情和状态共情两个方面为切入点, 采用音乐训练和音乐素养两个指标衡量个体音乐经验, 利用问卷调查和行为实验, 探究它们对共情能力的影响路径。结果表明,在特质共情方面, 音乐家的认知共情能力显著高于非音乐家。然而, 在控制了人格、主观社会经济地位和心理健康状态的相关变量后, 音乐训练对共情能力并无显著影响。相反, 音乐素养显著正向预测认知共情能力的想象维度, 甚至可以作为音乐训练影响认知共情中想象维度的中介变量。在状态共情方面, 利用疼痛共情范式研究发现, 相比非音乐家, 音乐家在目睹他人疼痛情境时更能感同身受, 这种状态共情能力受到音乐素养和特质认知共情中想象维度的链式中介影响。综上所述, 音乐训练通过提高音乐素养, 间接增强特质共情中的认知共情能力(想象), 从而使音乐家在感同身受他人疼痛状态时表现出更强的能力。这些发现揭示了音乐经验对共情能力的促进机制。

关键词: 音乐训练, 音乐素养, 特质共情, 状态共情, 疼痛共情

Abstract:

Music has long been recognized for fostering social bonds, with potential benefits for prosocial behaviors and empathy. Empathy, a key predictor of prosocial behaviors, encompasses both cognitive and affective components, involving the mentalizing and sharing of others’ emotional states. While musical training has been linked to increased empathy and prosocial behaviors, the influence of musical sophistication—a comprehensive measure of musical experience—on empathy is less well understood. Moreover, the specific components and pathways through which musical experience influences empathy remain unclear, with existing research relying largely on subjective measures and lacking objective behavioral evidence.

To address these gaps, we conducted two studies using musical training and musical sophistication as indicators of musical experience to explore their impact on trait and state empathy through questionnaires and a behavioral experiment.

In Study 1, we examined the relationship between musical training, musical sophistication and empathy in 130 musicians and 121 non-musicians, using standardized measures including the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Musicians scored significantly higher than non-musicians in cognitive empathy components (Perspective Taking and Fantasy). After controlling for gender, musical sophistication was positively correlated with cognitive empathy components (Perspective Taking and Fantasy) and an affective empathy component (Empathic Concern). Furthermore, after controlling for gender, openness, psychological states (depression, anxiety, alexithymia), and subjective social status, path analysis revealed that musical sophistication directly influenced cognitive empathy (Fantasy), while musical training indirectly influenced it via the mediating effect of music sophistication.

Study 2 employed a pain empathy paradigm to assess empathic responses in 59 musicians and 61 non-musicians. Musicians demonstrated a higher alignment between ratings of their own and others' pain when observing others in pain, indicating greater empathy. The musicians' empathic response to pain was serially mediated by music sophistication and Fantasy in cognitive empathy. However, musical sophistication alone did not significantly affect pain empathy when the influence of musical training on musical sophistication was controlled.

In summary, both long-term musical training and musical sophistication positively impact cognitive empathy. Specifically, musical training indirectly enhances the cognitive component (Fantasy) of trait empathy by improving musical sophistication, thereby fostering greater empathy for others' pain. In contrast, musical sophistication has a direct and stable relationship with cognitive empathy. These findings support the “social bonding” hypothesis, highlighting music’s role in developing empathy and interpersonal skills.

Key words: musical training, musical sophistication, trait empathy, state empathy, pain empathy.

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