Listening to heavy metal music helps listeners cope with fears surrounding mortality and death, a new study has revealed.
The research, published in the Journal of Psychology of Popular Media and written by psychologists Julia Kneer and Diana Rieger, showed that listening to heavy rock and metal music can be seen as culturally good for metal fans.
They found being a fan of this type of music makes up part of their social identity.
In the study, the researchers said: ‘Heavy metal music is often associated with death and dying by nonfans whereas members of this subculture report that listening to metal music is their escape from depression and even helpful against death-related thoughts.
‘According to terror management theory, self-esteem and cultural worldview serve as a symbolic, 2-component buffer system working against the fear of death.’
The research’s findings were based on the results of two studies
In the first, the psychologists found that fans had no further need to increase their cultural worldview but only if they listened to metal following the induction of ‘mortality salience’.
Results of the second showed that metal music made further support of self-esteem unnecessary.
The research, published in the Journal of Psychology of Popular Media and written by psychologists Julia Kneer and Diana Rieger, showed that listening to heavy rock and metal music can be seen as culturally good for metal fans.
They found being a fan of this type of music makes up part of their social identity.
In the study, the researchers said: ‘Heavy metal music is often associated with death and dying by nonfans whereas members of this subculture report that listening to metal music is their escape from depression and even helpful against death-related thoughts.
‘According to terror management theory, self-esteem and cultural worldview serve as a symbolic, 2-component buffer system working against the fear of death.’
The research’s findings were based on the results of two studies
In the first, the psychologists found that fans had no further need to increase their cultural worldview but only if they listened to metal following the induction of ‘mortality salience’.
Results of the second showed that metal music made further support of self-esteem unnecessary.
