Do You Know Why You Sing?
Can you truly tell me a reason why we still sing to this day? Yes of course it feels good when we do it, but there has to be more to it than that. The joy we gain from singing is one thing, yet the amount of learning is involved of one another is more important. This in itself has lead researchers to ponder this case and have actually come up with a result.
A new study out of Oxford College has lead people to believe that singing plays a fundamental role in our relationships around us. It is a way for people to connect with each other and understand each other's cultures. Unlike any other language, music is universal to all who are a part of it. It is no accident that we are uplifted at a temple or why people can unite at an event. Researchers have determined that it plays an important role in social bonding more almost any other hobby.
Strangers Start Singing Together At a Supermarket
A previous study also concluded that organizations use music to connect people that was otherwise impossible. They ran a hypothesis in a major event in NYC to see which 2 groups of strangers were more engaged. The first group's event had no music playing, while the second group had a live DJ. As you can tell, the first group's members were adamant about speaking to each other. However the second group instantly began introducing one another and soon started dancing.
The singing that goes on brings a profound feel of calm to all of those involved. The moment that they are in allows their body to produce endorphins, which develops a euphoric feeling. Yet a few studies have addressed whether these consequences come from singing itself or from the situation of being around others.
This is where the Oxford team decided to examine the question and change their thesis to "Is singing unique?"
Launay and his school had a big problem to deal with here. They had to not only find the right people to interview, but find a place that had no other variables involved. They first looked at the contrasting situations involved in other activities similar to a singing group. Their data pointed to craft-making and creative writing classes.
What The Study Found
After a 7-month study by these 3 different groups, Launday concluded that it didn't affect how much closer people got. The people who were involved in writing class began to create stories together. The craft-making group began to design ideas with each other as well. However, it was the singing group that became closer with each other much faster than the other groups. The researched called this the " ice breakers impact".
This effect could be directly related to human's risk determination they involve with every new situation. They try to see what their chances of getting along are with others and so can be timid in talking to others. By creating a connected atmosphere for everyone, people soon drop their guard. This implication explains why humans have resorted to singing for so long for connection.
This is a direct argument to one of sciences great, Robin Dunbar. He insisted that "social brain theory" which is a limit to how many people humans can interact with at a time is still prevalent. The problem is that his study was related to our past generation, and music has slowly helped us evolve to another level.
This effect could be directly related to human's risk determination they involve with every new situation.
Language is in all likelihood a part of the reason, but this study appears to truly show the universal effects of singing. Musical activities embodies people's feelings at a moment and helps people share common interests. These are the precursors that Launay was able to suggest in her study.
An amazing part of the study was the quality of the singers had no effect on the connections they made. This factor was also important in showing the reason for the events success. It had to do with everyone's ability to work together as a team and sing along. Launay believes that this is a profound result that language could never achieve.
Any individual can take advantage of the social bondings that singing creates. It is an element that is ingrained in people's instincts to connect with each other. The best part is there are programs out there that can help teach you the fundamentals of singing. Those that are interested will be able to connect in ways they could never of done before.
Source by Jonathan Saeidian
