Lecture: How music shapes thought – imagination and intersubjectivity
Why do people spend so much time listening to music – and where do their thoughts wander while doing so? In her lecture, music psychologist Elizabeth Margulis from Princeton University explores how spontaneous thoughts arise during music listening.
Although these inner experiences often feel highly personal, her research shows that they exhibit remarkable cultural commonalities in both content and structure. Her studies reveal that vivid autobiographical memories and imaginative scenes unfold while listening to music – experiences that seem individual but often follow similar patterns within a culture, including their temporal dynamics.
Princeton University is a strategic partner of HU. The guest lecture is funded by the International Office.
Time
22.05.2025, 6pm
Place
Collegium musicologicum, Am Kupfergraben 5, room 501