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David Huron , Ph.D.

Why Do Listeners Enjoy Music That Makes Them Weep?

Tearing of the eyes, nasal congestion, a constriction in your throat, and erratic breathing -- your doctor would conclude that you are suffering from a severe allergic reaction. But in special circumstances, music can evoke precisely these symptoms. How does music evoke feelings akin to sadness or grief? And why do people willingly listen to music that may make them cry? In this lecture, I review the physiological, evolutionary, and behavioral basis for adult crying. Extending the argument made in my book "Sweet Anticipation" (MIT Press, 2006), I suggest that the pleasure of musically-induced weeping arises from cortical inhibition of the amygdala, and is linked to the release of the hormone prolactin.