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.