Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

Few researchers have examined the influence of music listening on building social capital. This exploratory study examined the impact of music listening on on-campus political group membership activities and political activism. Exposure to different genres of music both positively (e.g., Christian rock and alternative music) and negatively (e.g., pop and rock) predicted political group membership activities. Political group membership activities, in turn, positively predicted political activism. Further, exposure to different genres of music both positively (e.g., alternative, rap, and trance) and negatively (e.g., rock, pop, and techno) predicted political activism. Implications and future research directions are discussed.