It is not clear how music influences the individual. Some experts insist that music and musicians influence young people. Other sources insist that certain individuals respond to particular types of music and musical expression. Either way, today’s young people can see how their favorite musicians dress and behave, both in public and in private, through the multiple media that constantly monitor the world’s celebrities. Young people can then choose to change their own appearance and behavior to reflect the musician and music style with which they most identify.
Two separate but related theories explain how individuals relate to and express themselves through music. The theory of social identity indicates that people “borrow” their identity from the society in which they live. The individual’s adoption of a group identity through music is a way for that person to conform to the ideals, goals, and norms of society as a whole. The opposite of the theory of social identity says that some individuals choose to behave in a way that is contrary to social norms. These people prefer to adopt their own style and differentiate themselves from others. This is called personal identity theory. These theories are interrelated because, although personal identity theory identifies individual aspects of expression, the person still identifies as part of a sub-group.
Young people are more likely to subscribe to various forms of identification through music; especially those forms that do not conform to society in general. As young people move from adolescence to early adulthood, they are more likely to explore and experiment with their own identity through music than are older adults, who have likely adapted to a genre with which they identify. Looking at music in this way makes it easier to see how a socializing agent has always been, and still is; a way for young people to explore their independence as they move away from the authority of their parents.
This perspective on music can hide the influence that music has on children. The music of the past century has played an important role in the lives of young adults, yet music can have an expansive effect on people who are even younger. Remember that music has always been an important part of all societies. Children socialize through songs that are shared with them at different ages. Children’s songs can be as simple as songs that teach basic information, like ABC and 123, and can teach social skills and acceptable behavior (think Sesame Street and Barney). Still, children have access to the same music that young adults have access to; and sometimes this music is not age appropriate. This phenomenon has ushered in debates about whether exposure to certain musical influences is having a deleterious effect on the nation’s youth.
Interestingly, a study has found that women are more likely to be influenced by music than men, although both genders find expression through music satisfying. This may be because women are often socialized as members of a social group and men are often encouraged to be self-reliant. The study authors believe that the socialization process makes women more susceptible to musical influences than men.