There is debate as to whether sad music is harmful or helpful when used to regulate emotions. Listeners’ trait level of rumination may influence their responses to sad music during sadness. This study used an online community sample of young adults (N = 386, 56% female, M_age = 21.89) in an induced sad state to understand the roles of listener rumination and the eight BRECVEMA musical emotion mechanisms (Brain Stem Reflex, Rhythmic Entrainment, Evaluative Conditioning, Contagion, Visual Imagery, Episodic Memory, Musical Expectancy, and Aesthetic Judgment) in determining changes in sadness during listening. Participants increased in sadness after listening to a self-nominated sad song. The increase in sadness observed was additionally moderated by rumination such that higher rumination predicted greater increases in sadness. People high in rumination were additionally more likely to experience musical entrainment, select a song with conditioned responses and associated memories, as well as experience emotional contagion while listening. Importantly, the effect of rumination was not significant when these BRECVEMA variables were added to the model. Results suggested that BRECVEMA mechanisms were more predictive of increases in sadness from pre- to post-listening than trait rumination levels. The findings suggest that attention should be given to individuals’ song choices and associated active BRECVEMA mechanisms in addition to their trait rumination.

关于悲伤的音乐在调节情绪时是有害还是有益的存在争议。聆听者的特质沉思水平可能会影响他们在悲伤中对悲伤音乐的反应。这项研究使用在线社区样本中的年轻人（N = 386，女性56％，M_年龄= 21.89）处于诱发性悲伤状态，以了解听者反省的作用和八种BRECVEMA音乐情感机制（脑干反射，节律性训练） ，评估条件，传染性，视觉意象，情节记忆，音乐期望值和审美判断）确定聆听过程中悲伤的变化。参加者在听了一首自我提名的悲伤歌曲后感到悲伤。通过反刍额外观察到了悲伤的增加，以至于更高的反刍预示着悲伤的增加。高度沉思的人更有可能体验音乐的诱惑，选择具有条件性反应和相关记忆的歌曲，以及在聆听时经历情绪感染。重要的是，将这些BRECVEMA变量添加到模型中后，反刍作用并不显着。结果表明，BRECVEMA机制比听觉特质水平更能预测从听前到听后悲伤的增加。