It’s a well known fact that music brings us together and uplifts our mental health. But how?
In this episode of the SpeakReal podcast, our host Carson speaks with Dr. Arla Good, a TMU (Toronto Metropolitan University) research associate and psychology researcher of TMU’s Singwell Project. Dr. Good is a music enthusiast and speaks to the profound impact choirs and music have on challenges related to connection and management. Her perspective offers a fascinating look into music’s ability to support mental health to foster connection and community.
Fun Fact: Evidence of music 35,000 years ago can be found in the bone Flute!
How Music Creates Social Bonds
Why is music prevalent in the world and history? Dr. Good explains that music was important for social bonding, creating trust, cohesion and cooperation in tribe survival.
Bees in a Beehive Analogy
Imaging a Bee hives dynamic: Individual bees have their own identities but function together within a collective structure. This structure is synonymous with the structure of a choir, where an individual’s voice blends with the whole.
Dr. Good describes it as,
“The feeling of ‘I do not know where I end and you begin.’”
This sense of power and unity is an impactful tool for community and emotional well-being.
Bread and Butter Theory
Dr. Good gives us a sneak-peek of her bread and butter theory, which offers an understanding of how music enhances social bonds.
She says,
“…Developing the Bread and Butter Theory: You put people in a room and make friends, but if you get people to sing together first, they feel calm and socially connected. Bread the sustenance, the friendships through the conversations. While the act of singing together is the butter…Allowing you to feel more connected and involved.”
Singwell Project
The Singwell project is an international network of researchers, NGOs and associations practitioners and community choirs to “Understand, inform and inspire choirs for individuals living with communication challenges.” Mostly aiding older adults dealing with Parkinson’s and aphasia which makes communicating challenging. The project highlights how singing can bridge gaps caused by communication disorders and foster a sense of inclusion and community.
Can Anyone Sing?
Individuals tend to be hesitant about joining choirs and singing in general. Saving their solo for the shower. People think that they can’t sing, but Dr. Good believes that’s just a mindset.
She says,
“Our bodies are built for singing and everyone can do it if we have a different mindset of participation rather than performance.”
Dr. Good Shares an Impactful Story about a Singer
“After suffering a stroke and developing aphasia, he was hesitant to join the choir due to his voice change. But, the encouragement by his community convinced him to try. He did, and is now a pivotal figure in the choir.”
Where to Reach Dr. Good
For students interested in psychology research and/or Singwell project. Please reach out to Dr. Arla good at the information below:
Email for student Involvement: singwell@torontomu.ca
The SingWell Project: https://www.singwell.ca/
The Smart Lab: https://psychlabs.torontomu.ca/smartlab/
Tips for Youth Interested in Psychology Research:
- Start volunteering in a lab: Gain experiences to better understand the research process
- Stay Curious: Check out what is happening in research today and what developments are being made in the field
- Demystify the role of the Researcher: Un-romanticize the idea of a Psychology Researcher
- Reach out: contact experienced researchers like Dr. Arla Good for more info.
Watch the full episode here:
YouthSpeak is a charity organization based in the GTA, Canada that conducts assemblies and interactive workshops to help increase the resiliency of youth facing challenges today. To find out more about our projects and initiatives, visit https://youthspeak.ca/.
Help support our For-Youth-by-Youth projects by donating at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/i-support-youthspeak
