A Q-Methodological Study of Attitudes Towards Rap Music
A Q-Methodological Study of Attitudes towards Rap Music
Abstract
The aim of this research is to investigate attitudes towards rap music using Q-Methodology. Previous research shows varied findings, some suggesting that rap music can cause deviant behaviour and some suggesting that rap music can be beneficial. The method to investigate attitudes in this research involved asking participants to mark their level of agreement on different statements about rap music on a scale from -4 to 4. The data was then interpreted using a Q-Methodology computer program. The findings suggest that although there is no evidence to claim that rap music causes deviant behaviour, attitudes are greatly varied on how rap music affects society and youths, whether it be beneficial or not.
Introduction
Rap music originated in the 1970s in the South Bronx area of New York City as a sub-genre of Hip Hop, eventually becoming one of the most popular music genres of our modern time. In general terms, rap music articulates personal and common experience in black urban America, usually how to gain local social respect and using catchy and memorable phrases. Rap music is thought to be essentially listened to by black and white youths.
Media attention on rap music has claimed that this genre and culture of music promotes disrespect for authority, encourages disrespectful attitudes and violent behaviours towards women, promotes aggressive, violent and promiscuous behaviours and glorifies the usage of weapons such as guns and knives. The debate of whether this is true or not is ongoing, resulting in the conduction of worldwide research investigating the effects that listening to rap music has on individuals, groups and cultures as a whole, focusing largely on youths, considering how rap forms and holds specific attitudes. Does listening to rap music encourage aggressive and deviant behaviour? Or is the debate simply an exaggerated image of the media that has become out of hand?
Research has
Abstract
The aim of this research is to investigate attitudes towards rap music using Q-Methodology. Previous research shows varied findings, some suggesting that rap music can cause deviant behaviour and some suggesting that rap music can be beneficial. The method to investigate attitudes in this research involved asking participants to mark their level of agreement on different statements about rap music on a scale from -4 to 4. The data was then interpreted using a Q-Methodology computer program. The findings suggest that although there is no evidence to claim that rap music causes deviant behaviour, attitudes are greatly varied on how rap music affects society and youths, whether it be beneficial or not.
Introduction
Rap music originated in the 1970s in the South Bronx area of New York City as a sub-genre of Hip Hop, eventually becoming one of the most popular music genres of our modern time. In general terms, rap music articulates personal and common experience in black urban America, usually how to gain local social respect and using catchy and memorable phrases. Rap music is thought to be essentially listened to by black and white youths.
Media attention on rap music has claimed that this genre and culture of music promotes disrespect for authority, encourages disrespectful attitudes and violent behaviours towards women, promotes aggressive, violent and promiscuous behaviours and glorifies the usage of weapons such as guns and knives. The debate of whether this is true or not is ongoing, resulting in the conduction of worldwide research investigating the effects that listening to rap music has on individuals, groups and cultures as a whole, focusing largely on youths, considering how rap forms and holds specific attitudes. Does listening to rap music encourage aggressive and deviant behaviour? Or is the debate simply an exaggerated image of the media that has become out of hand?
Research has
References: Bryant, Y. (2008). Music Videos and Attitudes Toward Relationships Among African American Youth. Journal of Black Psychology, 34(3), 356 – 380. Web