Goldsmiths, University of London - Sound judgment

Listening to music can influence the way we perceive the emotions of others, according to new research. When volunteers were asked to listen to a short musical excerpt and judge the emotional content of a face, their responses varied according to the music they heard. Those who had listened to upbeat music perceived more happiness, whereas those who had listened to sad music discerned more sorrow. Joydeep Bhattacharya, reader in the department of psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London and leader of the research, said: "What surprises us is that even ... 15 seconds of music can cause this effect."