Don't really want to buy into the Uncle Tom theory/satire but I just thought I'd contribute immensely to the conversation by pointing out, totally uncontroversially, that music is both science and art whereas psychology is neither. Time is much better spent on music.

If Psychology were a science you could know exactly how to insert things into the subconscious (or if that's even a proven reality) and you could predict the result. I can predict the result of playing a basic G minor chord everytime. Who doesn't love G minor? Feel it. Love it.

 

Intelligent people, albeit Satanic in nature, DO know how to insert things into the subconscious mind and we CAN predict the result. You don't know this yet? You've never heard of subliminal programming? Wow!! Psychology IS a science. Where did YOU go to college, Trump Tech? HaHa!!

 

Fortunately I didn't go to "college" after the age of 17. That's where children go here. :P Yep.. there's other countries in the world. We have things called Universities (where I did go) and Basic Psychology is not a science degree - though you can come out with a science degree if you juggle it right.

I just thought I'd throw some wood onto the fire with the comment but since you threw in "Trump Tech" I thought... well, now it's education time! :P. There's a LOT of debate on whether or not Psychology is a science but almost all philosophers and scientists think/know it's not. Neuroscience is science (which is always one of the subject matters students touch upon if they're looking to get their degree with a Sc). Psychology, on its own, is not because it almost always lack quantifiable, rigorous, controlled experimentation (they try but it's just not possible to quantify emotions and things of that nature) and is never consistently, predictively reproducible. It tells us nothing with certainty. It has some good, general guesses though. But so does my dog.

Therefore it breaks all the definitions of science. It doesn't mean it's not useful. It's just not a science. Nor an art. Music is both!

BTW for what it's worth the term "subliminal" itself is BS. Even those who employ "subliminal" influence acknowledge that it's a misnomer. If your conscious mind cannot perceive it then neither can your subconscious (reverse speech for example). That's neuroscientific fact. ;)

Through repetition you can implant ideas into the subconscious, probably (who knows how the brain really works - neuroscientists have a long way to go) but if you look at the material (or listen usually) you'll always be able to see or hear the message and your conscious mind still has the last call on everything you do. If you're astute and alert you won't be able to be influenced. Some people are simply more suggestible that others as well. You can change their behaviour be yelling it into their face. No need to do it the weird way.

A thrash track with a lead vocal yelling "give up smoking you idiot - you're killing yourself" is probably just as effective as "Hippy relaxation mp3 Number 12" with ocean waves and a barely audible repetitive, positive message that you need to listen to a hundred times.

The effect of music including patterns and other audible stimuli on our brains are still being studied but I don't think there's been much found regarding, at least, plasticity positively as yet.... but the "Mozart makes smarter kids" theory is long gone. Shame... I think more kids should start out with Mozart but it wasn't doing anything for their grades.