Liking Heavy Metal = Sign of Intelligence

[El Diablo Fantastico]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-1256804,00.html

Many parents may regard it as a deafening din, but liking heavy metal may be a sign of intelligence in youngsters.

New research suggests clever teenagers listen to it as a way of coping with the pressures of being talented.

A study of 1000 of the country's brightest adolescents revealed "metalheads" are often extremely bright.

"There is a perception of gifted and talented students as being into classical music and spending a lot of time reading," Stuart Cadwallader, from Warwick University, said.

"There is literature that links heavy metal to poor academic performance and delinquency, but we found a group that contradicts that.

"We are looking at a group with lower than average self-esteem that does not feel quite so well adjusted.

"They feel more stressed out and turn to heavy metal as a way of relieving that stress."

The study revealed those who enjoyed heavy metal often had more difficuilties in their relationships with family and friends.

One of those questioned in the survey said: "It's the general thrashiness of it.

"You can't really jump your anger into the floor and listen to your music at the same time with other types of music."

Being brainy is not limited to the music's fans though.

Iron Maiden's lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, is a history graduate as well as being a novelist and qualified commercial pilot.

:: The survey involved 1,057 members of the National Academy for Gifted and talented Youth.

I is well smart.

 

[Lord Foul]

Gifted students who feel the pressure of their ability could be using Heavy Metal music to get rid of negative emotions.

This is the conclusion of Stuart Cadwallader and Professor Jim Campbell of The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth at the University of Warwick. They will discuss their findings at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference at the University of York on Wednesday 21 March 2007.

1, 057 students aged between 11 and 18 years old completed a survey which asked them about family, school attitudes, leisure time pursuits and media preferences. They also asked them to rank favoured genres of music.

They found that rock was the most popular form of music, closely followed by pop. But there were also differences between the type of music the young people liked and their attitudes – with those who liked Heavy Metal having lower self-esteem and ideas about themselves.

To find out why this was, the researchers then quizzed 19 gifted students via an online group interview to find out their views on Heavy Metal.

These pupils said they did not consider themselves to be ‘Metalheads’ but identified with specific aspects of this youth culture.

They spoke specifically about using Heavy Metal for catharsis, literally using the loud and often aggressive music to jump out frustrations and anger. Although the more ardent fans stated that ‘there’s Metal out there for every occasion’, many also stated they listen to the music when they are in a bad mood.

Mr Cadwallader said: “Perhaps the pressures associated with being gifted and talented can be temporarily forgotten with the aid of music. As one student suggests, perhaps gifted people may experience more pressure than their peers and they use the music to purge this negativity.”

Flawed on so many levels

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Yeah that was pretty dumb. I listen to the music I do because its good, not because I'm omg whiny angsty.

 

[DarkNoise]

Just watch that Headbanger: A Metalhead's Journey or whatever the name of it is. Metal has created it's own 'culture' of 'outcasts'. I don't think we're so much outcasts of other genres, as we got sick and tired of the standard 4/4 timed trendy happy stuff that paints smiles on faces and kisses babies.

We demand disembowlment and genital rot!

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Nothing wrong with good ol' 4/4.

 

[Metal head87]

Why does everyone seem to think metalheads are all a bunch of stressed outcasts?

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Theres got to be a reason that they listen to that angry noise!!!!

 

[DarkNoise]

I listen to it because it's cathartic to me. No matter how mad, happy, or anywhere between I am, Metal has a way of calming my mind while giving me energy. Ever try going to the gym and working out to Top 40 stuff? I'd rather throw on something with a hard fast beat.

That or it could be that I just enjoy a good tune when ripping out other people's teeth with a rusty dagger.

 

[raeon... not visiting enough]

I have to admit I started out as an angsty slipknot kid... before I actually had my musical ear trained. but uhh... I learned Nevermore and left that slipknot and parralel shit behind. Got to know Arsis, At The Gates and stuff. Am I cool now?

I might not "fit in" with the general style that people on this forum are, but I love metal. The music in itself owns. Metal is awesome.

I do realize metalheads come from different parts of life... wheareas mine was to seek solace in my angst, but that was 3 years ago, I'm ok now

 

[Lunar Still]

Last time I heard the name Cadwallader, it was used by the Devil in the Twilight Zone. Weird.

 

[derek]

a posteriori knowledge tells me different.

 

[Dead Winter]

Nothing wrong with good ol' 4/4.

4/4 is the best time signature. Just look at Bolt Thrower.

There's nothing groovier or heavier than 4/4...it's my favorite.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

4/4 is the best time signature. Just look at Bolt Thrower.

There's nothing groovier or heavier than 4/4...it's my favorite.

I'm pretty partial to any triple time, actually. But that may be because I <3 the folk.

 

[neal]

a posteriori knowledge tells me different.

what does your butt have to do with anything?

 

[derek]

Ever heard of numerology? Well I believe in butterology, so in truth, it has something to do with everything.

 

[unknown]

I like how they give the one example of Bruce Dickinson being a fairly intelligent metalhead

"Uhhh shit that's the only metal person we can think of!"

 

[derek]

^ Quite!

I'm against associating intelligence (whatever the fuck it means, anyways) with any sort of taste in musical genre. Some folks are smart, some are stupid - it's reading too much into it to believe one genre fosters intelligence.

 

[unknown]

who do I pleasure?

*just noticing your title...thing*

 

[Lord Foul]

This study failed to define what it considers:

A) intelligence

B) metal

and thus any conclusions drawn regarding the correlation of the two are suspect in the extreme.

That being said, this board does seem to have a relatively high degree of intelligence. Much of the rest of UM does not. Someone should do a new study specifically regarding Nevermore fans.

 

[Ketshy]

And throw attractiveness of our womenfolk in there too, there has got to be a reason for that.