Music as social surrogate? A qualitative analysis of older adults’ choices of music to alleviate loneliness
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20407452 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ceren Ayyildiz (0000-0002-2530-5738, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney, Australia, corresponding author), Olivia Geibel (0000-0001-9707-4134, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Steffen A Herff (0000-0001-8396-1306, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney, Australia), Sarah Hashim (0000-0001-9526-2350, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Tuomas Eerola (0000-0002-2896-929X, Durham University), Mats B Küssner (0000-0002-4056-0702, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 535-555 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Musicae Scientiae (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1029-8649 • E-ISSN: 2045-4147 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10298649251319403 |
| OpenAlex | W4408651009 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 68 |
People are living longer than ever. Loneliness is prevalent across various age groups, posing a serious threat to both wellbeing and health. The social surrogacy hypothesis predicts that people make use of temporary substitutes for interaction with other people. In this qualitative study, we explored the role of self-chosen music as a social surrogate. A sample of older adults ( N = 35) was asked to name three pieces of music they would choose to make them feel better if they were feeling very lonely and to explain their choices. We carried out a reflexive thematic analysis of their responses, which revealed six main themes: musical characteristics, coping mechanisms, memory and engagement, emotional reflection, bodily movement and dance, and listening context. These findings offer insight into how self-chosen music serves as a social surrogate in the absence of other people, through fulfilling social needs and mimicking human expressions or emotions through its characteristics and the context in which it is listened to. Age-specific factors including reminiscence and engagement with meaningful memories are likely to enhance emotional reflection, enabling familiar music to deepen connections to personal experiences. Overall, this study highlights the potential of music as a social surrogate to alleviate the loneliness often experienced by older adults
Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Loneliness · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Diverse Music Education Insights · Music Therapy and Health · Neuroscience and Music Perception · Psychology · Social Psychology
A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults
Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Aging and Loneliness
Uses of music and psychological well-being among the elderly
Thematic Analysis
A thematic analysis of older adult’s perspective of successful ageing
Creativity, music, and quality of later life
The involuntary nature of music-evoked autobiographical memories in Alzheimer’s disease
“The sound of affect”
Listening to music to cope with everyday stressors
Coping with the Practice of Medicine
The Meaning and Role of Spirituality for Older Adults
Older age as a time to contribute
Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults
It's the worst bloody feeling in the world”
Retirement plans and active ageing
Comparing music‐ and food‐evoked autobiographical memories in young and older adults
Busy Bodies
The need to belong
Loneliness and social isolation of older adults
| Citations per year | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |