Music Genre and Exercise: A Study on Motivation, Perceived Performance, and Psychological Resilience

This study aims to investigate the effects of music genre (popular and instrumental) on motivation, perceived physical strength and performance, and psychological resilience among individuals attending fitness centers for exercise. Designed as a non-experimental comparative field research, the sample group consisted of a total of 315 voluntary participants, including 114 females and 201 males, attending fitness centers in the province of Trabzon. Data were collected using the Impact of Music in Sportive Activities Scale (IMSAS) in two separate gyms where popular music (Group A) and instrumental music (Group B) were played. Research findings demonstrated that popular music created significantly more positive effects in all sub-dimensions compared to instrumental music. The scores for motivation, physical strength and performance, and psychological resilience of individuals exposed to popular music were found to be statistically significantly higher than those in the instrumental music group. Analyses conducted within the context of the gender variable revealed that the impact of popular music was much more pronounced across all three dimensions, particularly among male participants. Among females, it was observed that popular music increased motivation and performance perception, but did not create a statistically significant difference in psychological resilience compared to instrumental music. In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of high-tempo popular music in fitness environments increases effort tolerance and supports psychological resilience by diverting athletes' attention away from feelings of fatigue. These findings highlight the importance of strategic music selection to enrich the exercise experience for coaches and gym managers.