Music in the Air and in the Body: An Interoceptive System's Perspective on Musical Emotions, Awareness, and Time

Performing and perceiving music requires the integration of multimodal information, including sensations of one's own body. Research on musical engagement investigated emotional responses and the peripheral physiological activations involved, as well as bodily action tendencies, effects on time perception, and the role of awareness and focus of attention. The concept of interoception dedicates a central role to the insular cortex, as suggested by Craig and others, and offers a unifying framework for studying music as an activity that has always had a key role for individuals, groups, societies, with a strong bodily component. Chances and challenges of an interoceptive perspective on music are discussed.

Keywords: Dance; Focus of attention; Groove; Musical activities; Physiological responses; Time perception.

PMID: 39436629 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_517