Abstract

PIMENTEL, Carlos Eduardo; GOUVEIA, Valdiney Veloso  and  VASCONCELOS, Tatiana Cristina. Music preference, attitudes and antisocial behaviors among adolescent students: a correlational study. Estud. psicol. (Campinas) [online]. 2005, vol.22, n.4, pp. 403-413. ISSN 0103-166X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-166X2005000400008.

As there are not many studies about musical preferences as an antisocial behavior understanding method , this study aimed to raise possible relation among this construct and deviant behaviors, considering also the attitudes toward marijuana use. This sample was composed by 548 high school students from public (46.4%) and private (53.6%) schools, most of them female (54.9%). They had answered the Musical Preference Scale, Attitudes toward Marijuana Use Scale and Antisocial and Deviant Behaviors Scale, besides demographic questions Results have indicated that the preference for unconventional musical styles (heavy metal, rap) was directly correlated to attitudes favorable toward marijuana use and antisocial and deviant behaviors. On the other hand, the conventional styles preference (pop music, gospel music) showed an inverse correlation pattern with these variables. Differences were observed in the musical preference, attitudes toward marijuana use, and antisocial and deviant behaviors according to sex, in which women are more adjusted to the conventional patterns. These findings are consistent, compared to the previous published ones. Nevertheless, there is a long path to follow for a definitive explanation about musical preference influence.

Keywords : anti-social behavior; marijuana; music.