Peak experiences in music
John Whaley, John Sloboda, Alf Gabrielsson
Oxford Handbooks Online September 18, 2012 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199298457.013.0042 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Key findings | Argues that musical-peak experiences are a significant, valued part of many people's lives, with lasting effects that can motivate continued engagement with music. The review synthesizes four foundational studies, proposed precursors and differences between those who have and have not achieved peaks, associated cognitive, perceptual, emotional, and physical phenomena, after-effects, and the methodological possibilities and difficulties of studying such experiences. |
Abstract
Musical-peak experiences are a significant component of the lives of many people. They are powerful, valued, have lasting effects, and – for some – are a reason for continued engagement with music. This article highlights research on the peak experience, emphasizing literature focusing on music-specific peaks. After outlining four studies fundamental to the study of peaks in music, a section discusses precursors to peaks and proposed differences between those who have achieved peaks and those who have not. A section on the cognitive, perceptual, emotional, and physical phenomena associated with peak experiences is thenfollowed by an investigation on the after-effects of peaks. Next, a section discussing methodologies for the investigation of musical-peak experiences highlights the possibilities and difficulties of this work. Finally, a brief section summarizes the contents of the article and looks towards the future of research in this field.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Classic Hallucinogens and Mystical Experiences: Phenomenology and Neural Correlates. | 2018 | Review | |
| Peak experiences and the afterglow phenomenon: When and how do therapeutic effects of hallucinogens depend on psychedelic experiences? | 2015 | Review | |
| Are “mystical experiences” essential for antidepressant actions of ketamine and the classic psychedelics? | 2024 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Mystical Experience: A New Agenda for Theology | 2022 | Review |