Relationship between personality and music preference: Psychometric adaptation of the music preference scales in a Chinese sample

Individuals evidently have different tastes in and preferences for music. The purpose of this study was to develop two scales for measuring music preference based on genres (text-based) and excerpts (clip-based), using a Chinese sample to explore the relationship between music preference and personality. Specifically, we collected measures of people’s self-reported preferences for a wide range of music genres for further analysis in Study 1. In Study 2, we developed two music preference scales based on the genres identified in Study 1, one text- and the other clip-based. The results of two principal component analyses suggest three-dimensional psychological structures of music preference using both versions of the scale: (1) Traditional and Retro, (2) Exotic and Complex, and (3) Intense and Rebellious. Correlation and regression analyses of music preferences and personality also indicated that music preference is a relatively stable construct that reflects personality traits. Moreover, the three factors identified from the results of studying music preferences in a Chinese sample differ from those identified in studies of music preference in Western countries, suggesting that music preference is influenced by culture. The two scales yielded similar but slightly different outcomes reflecting their discrete emphases and characteristics; they can be used separately or together, depending on the research topic and question. In this study we verified the structure of music preference among a Chinese sample. It provides a reference point for theoretical research on music preference and personality and has practical applications.