Wellbeing in the classroom - How an evolutionary perspective on human musicality can inform music education

Oct 15, 2026

Group singing is a common feature of classroom-based music education, often linked to academic achievement, yet social and emotional wellbeing benefits remain under-discussed. This article argues that an evolutionary perspective helps explain how music education can support student wellbeing. It proposes that group singing fosters shared positive emotions, increases cohesion and pro-social behaviours, and through regular participation may produce stable changes in affective style and sociability. Implications for music education are discussed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Social and emotional wellbeing in the classroom

Music education and well-being

An evolutionary perspective on music

Wellbeing in the classroom: How an evolutionary perspective on human a u s t r a l i a n a s o c i e t y s f o r m u s i c m e d u c a t i o n e i n c o r p o r a t e d musicality can inform music education Susan Maury Monash University Nikki Rickard Swinburne University Abstract Group singing is a common feature of classroom-based music education, and has often been proposed to have benefits that extend beyond acquisition of music skills, primarily in academic achievement. However, potential social and emotional well-being benefits have been under-represented in these discussions. This article proposes that an evolutionary lens provides a helpful framework for understanding how music education can contribute to student well-being. Specifically, group singing may a) create a shared emotional experience which is generally positive; and b) increase group cohesion and pro-social behaviours. It is proposed that, while these changes are generally immediate and short-term, regular participation in group singing may lead to stable, persistent changes in affective style and sociability. The implications for music education are discussed, particularly for improving the social and emotional wellbeing of students. Key words: music education; singing; wellbeing; emotion; social bonding; evolution. Australian Journal of Music Education 2016: 50(1), 3-15 Social and emotional wellbeing in the classroom In recent years, there has been increasing recognition that social-emotional competencies and wellbeing have a significant impact on how students both enjoy school and learn. Schools are places of daily social interaction, and when students feel unable to create bonds with their peers and teachers, they can become disengaged from the school and from learning (Benson, 2006; Blum, Libbey, Bishop, & Bishop, 2004; Klem & Connell, 2004) . Disengagement starts in primary school and becomes entrenched in secondary school (Wang & Eccles, 2012; Wang & Fredricks, 2014), is linked to increased risk for mental illness (Wickrama & Vazsonyi, 2011) and anti-social behaviours into adulthood (Henry, Knight, & Thornberry, 2012). Enjoying school and feeling connected, on the other hand, is correlated to both academic attainment and a sense of finding school useful (Denham & Brown, 2010; Neel & Fuligni, 2013). Developing social and emotional competencies for students is therefore a highly protective factor for both the school years and into adulthood (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011) . There are many initiatives and programs for incorporating social and emotional learning into the classroom. This article suggests that participation in joint music creation is an understudied method for improving social-emotional wellbeing. From an evolutionary perspective, it has been argued that joint music-making was adaptive precisely because it helped individuals to regulate emotions and strengthen bonds. By understanding music as a positive socialemotional activity, its importance in the classroom is augmented. This paper reviews the evidence on group singing for improving wellbeing. While these benefits are likely to be found in any joint music-making activity, the focus is on singing because a) it is accessible to virtually everyone even without training; b) there is no cost associated with participation; and c) from an evolutionary perspective, it would have been the first and primary mode of collective music-making. Music education and well-being Music education has rarely been a focus in interventions aimed at improving student wellbeing. For example, in a meta-analysis of schoolbased social and emotional interventions, not one study involved music (Durlak et al., 2011) . There are some promising studies, however. For example, a 10-week drumming intervention for 30 boys (all approximately 12 years in age) who were considered at high risk for school disengagement produced improvements in self-est

FAQs

How does the article connect group singing to social and emotional wellbeing?

It proposes that group singing can create shared emotional experiences and increase group cohesion and pro-social behaviours, which are linked to social and emotional wellbeing.

Why does the article use an evolutionary perspective in the classroom context?

It argues that joint music-making was adaptive because it helped individuals regulate emotions and strengthen social bonds, offering a framework for understanding wellbeing effects.

What reasons does the article give for focusing on singing in particular?

It states singing is accessible to nearly everyone without training, has no participation cost, and is presented as the first and primary mode of collective music-making from an evolutionary viewpoint.

Oct 15, 2026

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