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Empathy as an answer for the tragedy paradox in music
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Abstract(s)
O apelo de motivos trágicos nas artes constitui um paradoxo que remonta à
Antiguidade clássica, aplicado sobretudo no âmbito das artes dramáticas, denominado
Paradoxo da Tragédia. Aristóteles foi o primeiro filósofo a elaborar uma resposta para o
mesmo baseada na purgação de emoções negativas do espectador pela sua experiência em
contextos ficcionadas, o qual designou de catarse. O objectivo deste trabalho foi resolver o
mesmo paradoxo no âmbito da música com motivos trágicos, ou seja, capaz de evocar
emoções negativas - em especial a tristeza -, através de explicações conversoras , que
consideram que a experiência de emoções negativas é convertida em experiências
psicologicamente recompensadoras. Considerando a catarse uma proposta coerente com as
explicações conversoras, o trabalho propôs-se a oferecer uma versão adaptável à música.
Tendo em conta a relação estabelecida na literatura entre a apreciação de música
triste e disposição individual de traços de empatia, esta foi considerada como uma
capacidade importante para a resolução do referido paradoxo. Contudo, como é possível que
a empatia explique tal conversão? Como empatizar com a música? Para perseguir o objectivo
acima descrito, estabeleceram-se duas questões de pesquisa fundamentais que dividiram o
trabalho em duas partes: Como é que uma experiência empática permite experienciar emoções
negativas através da música? e Como é que a empatia pode explicar um processo catártico na
música ?
Na primeira parte do trabalho foi elaborada uma confirmação da evocação de
sentimentos negativos através da música, indispensável para defender a explicação
mencionada, produzida por mecanismos de empatia emocional ( contágio emocional ) ou
cognitiva ( imaginação ), caso a resposta tenha origem nas características acústicas da música
ou no significado da letra. Além disso, foi destacado o papel dos neurónios-espelho na ponte
entre a percepção de emoções na música e a sua apreciação. Na segunda parte do trabalho foi
atribuída a exclusiva responsabilidade das recompensas psicológicas aos mecanismos de
empatia cognitiva , gerando recompensas com origem no próprio processo empático e na falta
de implicações reais associadas com a tristeza provocada pela música. Tais recompensas
compõe o processo catártico que leva à purificação de emoções negativas do ouvinte e
justifica as suas motivações para ouvir música triste .
Para o futuro, sugere-se que seja explorada a relação entre mecanismos
homeostáticos de regulação de emoções e da empatia cognitiva, a fim de gerar um melhor
entendimento sobre a capacidade de empatizar, bem como, sobre o papel da música como
potenciador de tal capacidade, tão importante para as interações humanas a diversos níveis
da sociedade.
The appeal of tragic motifs in the arts constitutes a paradox already discussed in Classical Antiquity, above all, in the field of dramatic arts, the known Tragedy Paradox. Aristotle was the first philosopher answering to it through a proposal based on the purging of the negative emotions of the spectator stemmed from the experience of such emotions in fictional contexts, a process called of catharsis . The aim of this work is to solve the same paradox applied to music with tragic motives, i.e. able to evoke negative emotions - especially sadness - through conversionary explanations , which consider that the experience of negative emotions is converted into a psychological rewarding one. Considering catharsis a proposal coherent with such explanations, the work proposes a cathartic process applicable to music. Considering the relationship established in the literature between the personal trait of empathy and the appreciation of sad music, empathy was considered as the key capacity to solve the paradox. However, how to empathize with music? How would empathy explain such conversion? To pursue the objectives described above, two fundamental research questions were established to accomplish such goal: How does an empathic experience allow us to experience negative emotions through music? and How does empathy explain a cathartic process in music? In the first part of the work, it was confirmed the evocation of negative feelings through music indispensable to defend the mentioned explanation, considered to be generated by mechanisms of emotional empathy ( emotional contagion ) or cognitive empathy ( imagination ), whether the emotional response is originated from the acoustic features of music or from the meaning of the letter. Moreover, it was highlighted the role of mirror-neuron system in the link between the perception of emotions in the music and its appreciation. In the second part of the work, it was attributed exclusive responsibility to cognitive empathy mechanisms for the generation psychological rewards, which generate rewards either from the empathic process itself and the lack of real-world implications associated with the sadness-evoked by the music. Such rewards comprise the cathartic process that leads to the purification of listeners’ negative emotions and justifies their motivations to listen to sad music. For the future, it is suggested to explore the relationship between homeostatic mechanisms of emotion regulation and cognitive empathy , in order to generate a better understanding of the ability to empathize, as well as the role of music as a potentiator of such important ability for the core human interactions within society.
The appeal of tragic motifs in the arts constitutes a paradox already discussed in Classical Antiquity, above all, in the field of dramatic arts, the known Tragedy Paradox. Aristotle was the first philosopher answering to it through a proposal based on the purging of the negative emotions of the spectator stemmed from the experience of such emotions in fictional contexts, a process called of catharsis . The aim of this work is to solve the same paradox applied to music with tragic motives, i.e. able to evoke negative emotions - especially sadness - through conversionary explanations , which consider that the experience of negative emotions is converted into a psychological rewarding one. Considering catharsis a proposal coherent with such explanations, the work proposes a cathartic process applicable to music. Considering the relationship established in the literature between the personal trait of empathy and the appreciation of sad music, empathy was considered as the key capacity to solve the paradox. However, how to empathize with music? How would empathy explain such conversion? To pursue the objectives described above, two fundamental research questions were established to accomplish such goal: How does an empathic experience allow us to experience negative emotions through music? and How does empathy explain a cathartic process in music? In the first part of the work, it was confirmed the evocation of negative feelings through music indispensable to defend the mentioned explanation, considered to be generated by mechanisms of emotional empathy ( emotional contagion ) or cognitive empathy ( imagination ), whether the emotional response is originated from the acoustic features of music or from the meaning of the letter. Moreover, it was highlighted the role of mirror-neuron system in the link between the perception of emotions in the music and its appreciation. In the second part of the work, it was attributed exclusive responsibility to cognitive empathy mechanisms for the generation psychological rewards, which generate rewards either from the empathic process itself and the lack of real-world implications associated with the sadness-evoked by the music. Such rewards comprise the cathartic process that leads to the purification of listeners’ negative emotions and justifies their motivations to listen to sad music. For the future, it is suggested to explore the relationship between homeostatic mechanisms of emotion regulation and cognitive empathy , in order to generate a better understanding of the ability to empathize, as well as the role of music as a potentiator of such important ability for the core human interactions within society.
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Keywords
Empatia Tragédia Emoções - Na música Cognição Música - Aspectos psicológicos Música - Efeitos fisiológicos Catarse Teses de mestrado - 2019