Short answer
Broaden user research beyond typical university student demographics and incorporate diverse musical styles to ensure product relevance and appeal.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Music & Science (2025)
- Method
- Systematic literature review and content analysis.
- Sample
- All articles published in 'Music Perception', 'Musicae Scientiae', and 'Psychology of Music' between 2010 and 2022.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
The majority of music psychology research disproportionately samples young adults from Western countries and uses Western musical examples, limiting the generalizability of findings. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Music & Science. Using Systematic literature review and content analysis. with All articles published in 'Music Perception', 'Musicae Scientiae', and 'Psychology of Music' between 2010 and 2022., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Broaden user research beyond typical university student demographics and incorporate diverse musical styles to ensure product relevance and appeal.
Western Music Psychology Research Over-relies on Western Young Adult Participants
The majority of music psychology research disproportionately samples young adults from Western countries and uses Western musical examples, limiting the generalizability of findings.
Music & Science · 2025
Key Findings
- 01A strong tendency exists to collect data from young adults and university students.
- 02Research predominantly uses Western music examples, even in studies conducted in non-Western countries.
- 03While some positive trends towards diversity are emerging, significant sampling biases persist.
Application
Design takeaway
Broaden user research beyond typical university student demographics and incorporate diverse musical styles to ensure product relevance and appeal.
How to apply
When conducting user research for a music app, ensure you recruit participants from various age groups, cultural backgrounds, and musical preferences, not just those readily available on a university campus.
Project actions
- 01When defining your target audience, think beyond the obvious demographics.
- 02Consider how cultural background might influence user interaction with your design.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive review across multiple key journals.
- +Longitudinal analysis over a decade.
Limitations
It can be challenging and time-consuming to recruit a truly diverse sample for a design project.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review methodology enhances reliability. Validity is supported by the consistent findings across multiple journals, though the interpretation of 'Western' music could be a point of discussion.
Think critically
How might the findings of this study influence the design of AI-powered music recommendation systems?
Design Principles
"Ensure research and design samples reflect the diversity of the intended user base and cultural contexts."
This sampling bias means that theories developed may not accurately reflect the diverse ways humans experience, perceive, and create music across different cultures and age groups. Designers aiming to create universally appealing or culturally sensitive music-related products or experiences need to be aware of these limitations.
What This Means for Your Design
Most studies about how people react to music use young people from Western countries and only use Western music. This means what we learn might not be true for everyone.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when justifying the need for diverse participant recruitment in your user research phase.
- 2.Use it to explain why your design choices consider different cultural contexts or age groups.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research in music psychology, as highlighted by Jakubowski et al. (2025), indicates a significant over-reliance on young, Western participants and Western musical examples. This sampling bias limits the generalizability of findings and underscores the importance of ensuring user research for design projects reflects a broader spectrum of demographics and cultural contexts to create truly inclusive and effective solutions.
Source
Music & Science
Participant and Musical Diversity in Music Psychology Research
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about western music psychology research over-relies on western young adult participants?
- Broaden user research beyond typical university student demographics and incorporate diverse musical styles to ensure product relevance and appeal. Evidence: Music & Science (2025).
- Why does "Western Music Psychology Research Over-relies on Western Young Adult Participants" matter for design?
- This sampling bias means that theories developed may not accurately reflect the diverse ways humans experience, perceive, and create music across different cultures and age groups. Designers aiming to create universally appealing or culturally sensitive music-related products or experiences need to be aware of these limitations.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Broaden user research beyond typical university student demographics and incorporate diverse musical styles to ensure product relevance and appeal.
- What were the main findings?
- A strong tendency exists to collect data from young adults and university students.. Research predominantly uses Western music examples, even in studies conducted in non-Western countries.. While some positive trends towards diversity are emerging, significant sampling biases persist.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic literature review and content analysis. with All articles published in 'Music Perception', 'Musicae Scientiae', and 'Psychology of Music' between 2010 and 2022..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Music & Science.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When conducting user research for a music app, ensure you recruit participants from various age groups, cultural backgrounds, and musical preferences, not just those readily available on a university campus.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on published research, which may not capture all ongoing research or unpublished findings. The definition of 'Western' and 'non-Western' music can also be complex.