Listening for Identity (One Test Subject)

Play the same record for two people other than yourself, make notes about their responses (both observed and verbalized), analyze the results, and write up your findings. Please remember that at least one of your subjects must be a non-musician and you're also encouraged to have one of your subjects be in a different demographic group than you are (age, gender, ethnicity, urban vs. rural hometown, etc.). These conditions are important as they will increase the acuity of your observation skills by decreasing the likelihood of your having the exact same musical tastes.
Bring your volunteers into your listening environment one at a time to listen to one of the following examples. Sit where you can observe them and take notes without making them feel uncomfortable, possibly over to their side.
Be sure there are no distractions while you are playing the record for them and following up.
Give your volunteers the lists of emotional responses and ask them to look over these lists for a few moments.
Give your volunteers a notepad and pen or pencil to jot down any emotions they are feeling.
After they have had a chance to read over the lists, read the following to your volunteers:
As you listen to the following record
1. Relax.
2. When you identify an emotional response, jot it down.
3. If you are pulled out of the emotion of the record by a distraction, jot it down, then return to relaxing and listening.
4. Clear your mind. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths.
5. Once you are settled in and ready to listen, give me a nod and I’ll start the record.
Exercise
PART 1
Play any two of the records in the playlist below for one non-musician human subject and analyze their emotional responses. When they are done listening to each record, ask them to answer the following questions with as much detail as possible:
What emotions do you feel in reaction to this record?
How would you describe the identity of this artist just from listening to this record?
Playlist:
1. Charlie Puth - The Way I Am
2. Paramore - Ain't It Fun
3. Tori Amos - Silent All These Years
4. Tom Waits - The Piano has been drinking
5. M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gun
PART 2
Write up the results of your listening sessions, and include the following information:
1. The records you chose
2. approximate age, occupation of your test subject
3. Your informed speculations about your test subject's reactions to the artist's identity, both stated and observed.
4. A short statement on your personal perception of the artists' identities and how this differed from your test subject's perception.