Source note · R103
Auditory and Reward Structures Reflect the Pleasure of Musical Expectancies During Naturalistic Listening
A listening experiment examines how musical surprise and uncertainty relate to pleasure and brain activity.
- Setting
- Related music & arts
- Kind of evidence
- Research article
- Review extent
- Targeted source check
What was studied
Twenty-four participants rated 50 musical excerpts while researchers recorded functional MRI responses.
What it contributes
Preferences varied with the interaction of uncertainty and surprise, alongside responses in auditory and reward-related regions.
Where the evidence stops
This laboratory listening task did not study ensemble participation. The small sample and controlled excerpts limit transfer to everyday music making or health outcomes.
About this review
Research appraisal checked against the publisher’s abstract and study description.
Source note updated September 10, 2026. Read our approach to evidence.