Openness to experience and a preference for atonality : How does the personality trait “openness to experience” correlate to enjoyment of atonal harmony, as opposed to tonal harmony?

Abstract: This study addresses a specific gap in research concerning personality type and aesthetic preference. The goal of this study was to assess the following question: is there a positive correlation between an enjoyment of atonal harmony and the personality trait dimension known as “openness to experience”? A survey was crafted, and a number of musical pieces with various degrees of tonality and atonality were composed for this study. Respondents of the survey answered a personality test, listened to the musical pieces and ranked their enjoyment of them. What was found is that not all people who are open to experience enjoy atonal harmony, but a majority of the enjoyers of atonal harmony are open to experience. Potential avenues for future research are discussed, including how knowledge of the relationship between music and the mind can help composers and music theoreticians, as well as game developers.