Lifetime changes in Body map based on music prediction

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship between music, which is said to promote well-being, and emotions as well as bodily sensations across the lifespan. Using eight chord progressions based on predictive models, we conducted online experiments with 784 participants aged 10 to 80, evaluating bodily sensation mapping and emotional responses. The results revealed that bodily sensations peaked in the 20s to 30s and subsequently declined with age, particularly for chords with low prediction error and uncertainty. On the other hand, arousal levels increased with age and showed a strong correlation with predictable musical structures. These findings suggest that bottom-up bodily responses diminish with ageing, while supporting the relationship between top-down processing shaped by accumulated experience and the predictability of music, as indicated by previous research. This study enhances the development of music-based interventions that improve well-being across generations, considering the unique physical and emotional characteristics of each age group.