The source dilemma hypothesis: Perceptual uncertainty contributes to musical emotion

Music can evoke powerful emotions in listeners. Here we provide the first empirical evidence that the principles of auditory scene analysis and evolutionary theories of emotion are critical to a comprehensive theory of musical emotion. We interpret these data in light of a theoretical framework termed "the source dilemma hypothesis," which predicts that uncertainty in the number, identity or location of sound objects elicits unpleasant emotions …