Understanding individual differences to specific rewards through music

Abstract

Understanding reward processing is essential for comprehending human behavior, from motivation and learning to affective disorders and addiction. Most research assumes a global sensitivity to reward, overlooking specific sensitivities to different stimuli. However, recent studies have revealed variability in music reward sensitivity, including healthy individuals with specific musical anhedonia – an impaired ability to derive pleasure from music despite intact responses to other rewards. This review explores individual differences in music reward and potential causes of musical anhedonia. We propose a brain model suggesting that reward experiences depend on both the overall functioning of the reward system and specific perceptual–reward network interactions. Finally, we discuss how this model and methodologies from music research can be applied to other rewarding stimuli.