Twin study: Is being moved by music genetic?

New research shows that personality traits can play a big role.

“Music sensibility seems to be linked to openness and agreeableness, but it is also linked to neuroticism, which is a more emotional trait. These connections are probably caused primarily by shared, underlying genetics,” Heide Marie Umbach Hansen said.

(Photo: Colourbox / Photo montage: University of Oslo)

Silje Pileberg Silje Pileberg Silje Pileberg Freelance JOURNALIST

Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: University of Oslo

Published 16 September 2025 - 00:01

Many people have experienced that music can awaken emotions. However, music sensibility varies from person to person: Some experience intense emotions, while others barely notice it.

Which personality traits characterise peple who are strongly moved by music?

Researcher Heidi Marie Umbach Hansen has studied the link between music sensibility and the Big Five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Heidi Marie Umbach Hansen’s doctoral research indicates that sensitivity to music partly stems from deeper aspects of human nature.

“Music sensibility seems to be linked to openness and agreeableness, but it's also linked to neuroticism, which is a more emotional trait. These connections are probably caused primarily by shared, underlying genetics,” says Hansen, who works at the University of Oslos Department of Psychology.

Both genetics and environment matter

Whether music is something we learn to like, or whether musicality is innate, is a fundamental question. It has been studied extensively before.

These earlier studies have indicated a moderate heritability for musicality, meaning that both genes and environment matter.

But musicality is a broad concept, the researcher explains. Traditionally, many think of the ability to understand rhythm or the ability to hear the difference between sounds. Previous research has mainly dealt with these issues.

"In our case, we have investigated how genes and environment influence musical sensibility,” says Hansen.

Looking more closely at precisely this is important to better understand what musicality really consists of, she adds.

Hansen has studied around 2,600 Norwegian twins, and the findings indicate that most of the variability in musical sensibility can be attributed to genetic differences – up to 64 per cent. But the environment also plays an important role.

Searched for answers among identical and fraternal twins

Twin studies are widely used to understand how genes and environments shape human behaviour. Identical twins share all genes, while fraternal twins share the same amount of genetic material as ordinary siblings.

If researchers find identical twins to be more like each other than fraternal twins, it suggests that genes affect the trait being studied – for example personality, depression, or musicality.

But twin studies are not only useful for studying the influence of genes and environment on a single personality trait.

“They can also be used to investigate relationships between different traits,” says Hansen.

Open, agreeable, and sensitive music lovers

Hansen found no correlation between music sensibility and being orderly (conscientiousness) or being outgoing and social (extroversion).

However, those who scored high on music sensibility also scored high on:

Openness, including creativity, curiosity, aesthetic sense, and sensibility.
Agreeableness, such as kindness and helpfulness.
Neuroticism, such as how often you experience depressive or anxious thoughts.

“These connections mainly seemed to be there because of shared genetics. Therefore, the results suggest that sensibility to music partly stems from deeper traits in human nature,” says Hansen.

The magic of music is still a mystery

Music is widespread all over the world.

According to a 2023 global survey, each of us spend around 21 hours a week listening to music. 71 per cent of those surveyed said music was important for their mental health.

“Still, we don't know why music arose in the first place. It may have started as an early form of communication that helped to connect people,” says Hansen.

The question of why music can affect us so strongly remains a mystery, according to the researcher.

She believes a better understanding of the mechanisms behind it, and why some people have stronger experiences than others, could be useful in several ways.

“For example, several hospitals offer music therapy as part of their treatment. If we know more about the variations between people, I believe this can help us improve treatment and make it even more effective,” she says.

Reference:

Hansen, H.M.U. 'Musical sensibility and motivations for music use: A twin study of the underlying structure, personality correlates, and genetic and environmental underpinnings', Doctoral dissertation at the University of Oslo, 2025. (Abstract)