Psychological and physiological effects of singing in a polyphonic choir

The aim of this study is to investigate effects of polyphonic choir singing on emotional state and anxiety levels of the singers. The study was conducted as a pre-test/post-test control group design. Salivary amylase was used as a physiologic indicator and PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) STAI-I and II- (State- Trait Anxiety Inventory) assessing the emotional state and the short-term and long term anxiety levels were used as a psychological parameter.The choir recruited from students of the Department of Music Education of Abant Izzet Baysal University studied A. Adnan Saygun?s ?variations on the folk song? Katibim? for eight weeks. The choir was divided into two groups randomly as a control and an experimental group. At the first day of the data collection, following the pre-test procedures (saliva samples questioners) the control group spent one-hour free time in their classroom and then asked to give saliva samples and complete the same questionnaires one more time for the post-test purpose. At the second day, unlike the control group, the experimental group had the actual choir singing the song between the pre-test and post-test procedures, but the saliva samples were collected and psychological scales were administered similarly as with the control group. Data were analyzed using SPSS program.Results showed a group main effect regarding the amylase and amylase/protein levels. There was an increase in the salivary amylase and amylase/protein levels for the control group, but a decrease for the experimental group. The difference between the groups with respect to amylase/protein levels was significant. For the psychological measures, although the differences between the two groups? means for the pre-test and post-test were not significant, positive affect was found to increase in the experimental group and decrease in the control one. However, the group x test interaction was significant. Similarly, regarding the negative affect a significant group x test interaction was observed. Negative affect was found to decrease in the experimental group, but increase in the control one. Additionally, a significant group x test interaction was observed regarding the anxiety level. The anxiety level decreased in the experimental group and increased in the control group. Results also showed significant correlations between salivary amylase (and/or amylase/protein) levels and psychological scales involving emotional state and anxiety levels.In conclusion, this study clearly shows that singing in a polyphonic choir had a positive impact on both emotional state and anxiety. Moreover, findings about salivary amylase indicate that it can be used as a reliable physiologic indicator of affect and anxiety in such studies.Key: Choir, Singing, Amylase, Emotional State, Anxiety.