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Musical Preference and Reward Sensitivity Influence Neural Activation During Repeated Listening: An fNIRS Study

Poster Session D - Monday, March 9, 2026, 8:00 – 10:00 am PDT, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballroom

Harley Glassman¹, Frank Russo¹; ¹Toronto Metropolitan University

Music is consistently ranked as one of the most rewarding activities. Familiar music is often considered more rewarding such that increased exposure to preferred pieces may produce greater liking. However, the neural mechanisms of musical preferences on reward as a function of familiarity have not been explored. This study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a repeated exposure paradigm to investigate the extent to which familiarity influences the hemodynamic activation of the auditory cortex and portions of the prefrontal cortex for preferred and non-preferred music. Additionally, it examined the hemodynamic activation and self-reported liking for preferred and non-preferred pieces in distinct reward sensitivity groups, as measured by the extended Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (eBMRQ). A significant interaction was found between musical preference and repetition, such that overall activation was greater with repeated exposure to preferred music. Additionally, individuals with higher reward sensitivity showed greater overall activation across the brain when listening to preferred music. Together, these results suggest that musical preference and repetition interact to modulate activity across auditory–frontal networks, which was further pronounced in individuals with higher music reward sensitivity. This novel study demonstrates the dynamic function of musical preferences on the neural mechanisms and functional organization of music reward, indicating a greater need to consider the integral role of individual preferences.

Topic Area: PERCEPTION & ACTION: Audition