Professor Catherine Loveday, Professor in Psychology at the University of Westminster, has explained in an inews article the scientific reason why people prefer the music they listened to when they were younger.
In the article, Professor Loveday explains the psychological phenomenon of the “reminiscence bump” and the effect it has on people’s favourite music. The “bump” refers to the tendency of adults over 40 to remember past events better than ones made later in life, meaning the memories people make between the ages of 10 to 30 have a much more lasting impact. Due to this, the music listened to during this period is likely to have the most powerful effect, even when people grow older.
Professor Loveday explains that the “reminiscence bump” occurs because “the brain’s memory systems are at their most efficient during late adolescence and early adulthood”. Along with this, people experience many things in this period for the first time, making the experiences particularly memorable. Professor Loveday explains: “The key reason that we return to songs and anecdotes from this period of our lives is that they remind us who we are. It is during these formative years that we make many crucial life-changing decisions, initiate significant long-term relationships and establish the cultural and political beliefs which form our identity.”
She also highlights that the concept of the “reminiscence bump” explains why a new release by an old band is more likely to resonate with a person later in life than one by a new band. Professor Loveday said: “A new album after a long absence is almost like having a phone call with an old school friend – or suddenly getting together and going out again with somebody that you haven’t seen for a while – you have all the nostalgia and warmth. It’s more than just the music. It’s the actual relationship you have.”
Concluding the article, Professor Loveday suggests that people may experience further “reminiscence bumps” later in life, particularly those who have had an “identity shift of any kind or even a major life event”. For this reason, she predicts that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a widespread “reminiscence bump” across society.
Professor Catherine Loveday, whose research focuses on memory and ageing, is part of the Westminster Centre for Psychological Sciences and teaches on the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience BSc Honours and Psychology BSc Honours courses.
Read the full article on inews.
Find out more about Psychology courses at the University of Westminster.
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