Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia, reviewed here in its e-book version, looks at the combination of music and behaviour. In short, it explores the effect of music on human behaviour. Edited by William Forde Thompson, the Director of the Music, Sound and Performance Lab, and a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, the encyclopedia benefits from his dual expertise.
The approximately 450 entries encompass the social sciences in fields, such as anthropology, communications, psychology, linguistics, sociology, sports, political science and economics, as well as biology and the health sciences. Select entries are as varied as an entry for YouTube; the relationship between music and academic achievement; whether those who create music are more prone to living longer; and computer music.
The encyclopedia is divided into 12 key themes:
Aesthetics and Emotion;
Business and Technology;
Communities and Society;
Culture and Environment;
Elements of Musical Analysis;
Evolutionary Psychology;
Media and Communication;
Musicianship and Expertise;
Neuroscience;
Perception, Memory and Cognition;
Politics, Economics and Law; and
Therapy, Health and Well-Being.
Multimedia resources have been touted for years, and with this encyclopedia, the resource is all the richer for its integration of multimedia. A resource with a focus on music is made all the stronger when video and audio clips are included. The clips tend to run for about one to two minutes, so they are definitely an enhancement to understanding whatever concept is discussed in the entry. The videos have transcripts, and offer insights into or performances of dance, music, narration and interviews. Another feature, particularly for those citing information, is the option to show or hide page numbers. Sometimes when a resource is available online, the reader may not necessarily be able to gauge the scope of it – scope as in, how large the resource is. As is so often the case with encyclopedias, cross-references are included at the end of each entry – here again the work gains from being online, as these references are hyperlinked. Further reading is recommended by the expert authors at the end of each entry.
Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia is an intriguing resource, well-suited for undergraduates in the social sciences.
