INFLUENCE OF MUSIC/MUSICIANS ON YOUNG ADULTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION - Research Paper Example

? ESSAY: INFLUENCE OF MUSIC/MUSICIANS ON YOUNG ADULTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION By This paper delves in analyzing how the musicians or music influence the young people to get involved in drug abuse and alcoholism. The paper has been sub divided in different sections to enhance clarity. The introduction section has given an overview of the research that has included background of the study, aims of the study and hypotheses. Young adults are the category of people who have not attained the age of the majority. The young adults are there youth, teenagers, and the children. It is important to note that this paper has also highlighted the fact that most of the young people have not had much experience in life and that they should allow for the intervention of the adults to shape their lives in the desired direction. The methodology used in the study has included the designs, the participants, and the instruments. It therefore important to highlight that this study is therefore aimed at ascertaining the possible effect of music and the musicians themselves on the young adult’s involvement in drugs and alcohol consumption. It is also important to highlight that this paper has specified coherently the various measures that were taken to come out with the findings and the results of the study. The study has been summarized with a clear conclusion ( Colley ?2008) Introduction A drug is anything or a substance that may have medicinal value attached to it, ability to remove toxins or harmful chemicals from the body and other psychological as well as emotional effects when the substance is consumed or injected into the body of a living organism. It is important to note that during the study, the focus was on hard drugs. in looking at hard drugs, they are narcotics that when they are consumed in large amounts or on a daily basis can be very habitual leading to addiction (Elizabeth 2012). Alcoholism is the impulsive and the in excess taking in of alcoholic contents that could be in beverages or mixed in any other form. Alcohol is a substance that contains much of ethanol content. The people who consume much of the alcoholic beverages without adhering to the set standards and cannot do without the drink are the alcoholics. Music are the words or the lyrics that are recited in rhythmic vocals for many purposes. Musicians are the persons who sing. Music is a cleanser to the soul and once an individual has developed interest in a particular song for some reasons, it is obvious that the person will therefore like the musician who composed and sang the song (Journal of Youth and Adolescence 2013) Songs are sang for various reasons. They could be love songs where one expresses feelings to another, church song where the Lord is praised, work songs that are sang to make work appear easier, dirges for mourning the dead, promotional songs that are sung to promote a particular product and lullaby songs for soothing babies. In the study, we focused on the promotional songs that are sang by the musicians after they have been selected by particular companies to help them promote the name of the product for them to increase sales volume (Sacks 2006). The musicians are picked for this because the companies know that they have a stronger base for fans and their fanatics can easily consume the product because of their influences. The young adults in many cases are the targeted group, in this form of promotion (Leslie 2000) It is fundamental to highlight there are various gaps that exist in this study. For instance, most researchers have always neglected researching on the various causes of the plights that the young adults suffer from. This has made them to withdraw and continues to deeply, be rooted into the immoral situations. This is because this category of people does not always have an organized set up that can facilitate a study. They always want to be at the top and no piece of advice can be accorded to them due to their arrogance, poor attitude, and ignorance (Michael 2011). Literature Review This research field of research has been explored by other researchers as well. There is a good number of literatures that has been done by researchers on the whether the music that the young adults listens to could be the real factor that influences them into drugs use or the musicians. Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, in the in one of their journals, Dance is the new metal: adolescent music preferences and substance use across Europe, conducted a study on the link between choice of music listened to and the use of various drug substances. In their study, they did a sample with one hundred and three young adults from ten countries from the European continent. In their study, the findings that they got was that most of the young adults in the selected countries, who listened to jazz music and pop tended to be greatly influenced by the singers of those particular songs. In filing their report, they concluded that music is a causative agent for the young adults’ involvement in drug substance use (Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2013) Another study was conducted by Baker, F. & Bor, W. in 2008, and on their article, Can music preference indicate mental health status in young people they made a study on the different genres of music on the mental health of the young adults or the adolescents. In their article, the outcome that they published the various immoral societal behaviors, that they compared with the music were that many young adults committed suicide, and engaged in drug and substance use at an early age. It is also important to highlight the findings that a scholar by the name Simon Morton did and published in his article, The Journal of Primary Prevention he found that peer influence is the key factor in the involvement of the young adults in drugs and alcoholism (Sacks 2006). In the study that was conducted by Antonio M. Ferreira together with Maria Margarida Ph.D. in Nursing Sciences, they did a research on how high school students take tobacco and alcohol and in their study report, the conclusion that they found out to be the dominant factor was the peer influence for the drug addiction and alcoholism (Sacks 2006). Another study that was conducted by Engels, R. E., Poelen, E. P., Spijkerman, R., & Ter Bogt, T. in 2012 on the Effects of Music Genre on Young People's Alcohol Consumption: An Experimental Observational Study. Substance Use & Misuse, published in the Science.gov Your gateway to U.S Federal Science in their finding, they found it important to note that the addiction of the young adults is facilitated by the income earnings at an early stage of life or s lot of disposal income that one possess (Michael 2011). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Under the methodology, the study employed the primary sources in obtaining information. It is important to note that the information received through primary sources is first hand, and you become sure that what you get is the real answer to your problem statement. Primary sources can be used as the proof sources that simply vindicate the truth about what others had done on your area of study (Sacks 2006). Survey It is important to highlight that for the primary data collection; the surveymonkey team took the initiative and presented their findings. This website conducts surveys and presents the findings for interested parties for analysis. The survey was conducted with eighteen young adults and none of them rejected or never answered. Their findings were presented in graphical format that are self-explanatory for analytical purposes (Michael 2011). Interviewing the respondents It is important to highlight that during the study, we sampled individuals randomly so that that everyone is given a room for expression. This method was used so that we could get diverse answers from the respondents expressing themselves without fear his method was used so that we could. This method of data collet ion allowed the respondents to explain the causes of the young adults’ involvement in drugs and alcoholism. This method is always suitable because one can give all the information that is attached to solve the problem question. The respondents have room to ask any clarification in case some questions are not clear or well understood. Interviewing is a a method that provides reliable information (Sacks 2006). Findings from the study From the primary data, it can be clearly noted that 0% of them said they are not influenced by their favorite musicians. A large number of them are likely to be influenced by their favorite musicians and this was 44.44%. The percentage of people who are influenced by their favorite musicians is 33.33%. A large percentage of 38.89%, listen moderately likely to listen to musicians who refer to drugs and alcohol in their songs. Only 5.56% do not listen to musicians who mention drugs and alcohol. 38.89% of young adults sometimes or all the time listens to musicians who publicly admit using drugs. Only 5.56% of young adults do not completely listen to musicians who do not listen to musicians who publicly admit on their use of drugs. On determining how much the musician’s influence their fans, 44.44% said the musicians have a great potential of influencing their fans. 0% of the respondents said that musicians do not influence their fans. 27.78% of the respondents admitted that the musicians can extremely influence their fans.41.18percentage of the respondents admitted their favorite musicians can possibly influence their actions. 0% gave responses that they cannot extremely be affected by the actions of their favorite musicians. Half the respondents said that the musicians who use or talk of drugs influence their fans. None of them said that they slightly influence the fans. 40% of the respondents said that the musicians have made it very likely for the acceptance of alcohol. 0% denied the question. 33.33% have been influenced into drugs because of the musicians while 66.67% denied that they have not been influenced. 11.11% have done drugs or alcohol because of musicians acceptance or promotion. This could be because they love the particular musicians doing the promotion while 88.89% have not done drugs because of musicians. In the primary sources, the lesson that I learned was that considering various parameters, many factors contribute to the influence of the youth into drugs and drinking alcohol. However, the musicians have a great potential on the life of their fans. This therefore shows that the young adults who also form part of the fans engage themselves into doing drugs and alcohol because of their favorite musicians. It is therefore suitable for the necessary precautionary measures to be put in place as a remedy to this drugs and alcohol question in hand. On the results for the musicians, the answer was also the same case as this was supported by all the respondents. They gave a similar reason by saying that if you love the song you must like the artist. The artist thereby becomes like a role model. When such artists or musicians are used in making various advertisements, their maniacs definitely would chose to consume the commodity (Elizabeth 2012). From the findings, it can be noted that most of the young people’s involvement in drugs and alcohol is not so much contributed by the musicians but there are other factors. The possible factors could be peer influence, lack of parental care, and curiosity. This is the 88.89% and the 66.67% of the respondents who have not shown interest in drugs or alcohol because of the musicians. From the interviews conducted, It is vividly noted that certain types of music actually influence the young adults into drug use and alcoholism. The types of music that we tried to do a comparison were five, reggae, pop, hip hop, jazz and blues. The results were tabulated and graphically presented to give the actual picture as it is. The sampling involved five people and their options were tabulated as shown and the corresponding graphical presentation in the appendix (Sacks 2006). Discussion What that does matters here from the results of the study is that strategies should be laid on guiding the young adults so that their minds are not polluted as early as the get. Young adults are the future leaders and therefore they need protection from all ends. Health education sessions should be employed and even peer counseling so that they get the facts right. From the presentation in the appendix, it can clearly be noted that certain genres of music can affect the young adults and make them get involved in drugs and alcohol consumption. The reason that many respondents gave was that the music such as jazz, reggae, and hip-hop requires a lot of energy and the fanatics need the energy to cope with the driving forces of the songs. This triggers the immoral spirit into the fans and thereby finds themselves in drugs to be stimulated psychologically (Sacks 2006) Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to note that the music and musicians have a great impact on the doing drugs and alcohol use life in the young adults. From the presentations by the survey monkey, it can be clearly seen that music is not a major contributing factor in the influence of young adults into drug and alcoholism. According to surveymonkey, the musicians affect so much on the life of the young adults. Various studies that have as well been done by the researchers have also highlighted the fact that the young adults involve themselves in the drug and alcohol drinking. References Colley, A. (?2008) Young People's Musical Taste: Relationship With Gender and Drugs Elizabeth M. (2012) Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institute Journal of Youth and Adolescence, (2013) ,familywise.ca/documents/ MusicPreferences PersonalityStyle. Leslie S.(2000) Department Of Psychology, The Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption And Type Of Music Loyola University New Orleans Michael S. (2011), Facts for families: the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, yahoo finance journal Norma D. (2012) Music making for health, well-being and behavior change in youth justice settings: a systematic, retrieved from oxfordjournalsreviewheapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/03/13/heapro. Sacks O. ( 2006), The power of music - Brain - Oxford Journals brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/129/10/2528.full? Appendix Field notes Many young adults get into drugs because of music and the musicians influence on them. Peer influence and lack of parental care are other factors that influence the young people into drugs and alcohol drinking. Majority can be easily influenced by their favorite musician acts. Research instruments. Research instruments This study applied various number of research instruments collection of data. It is therefore fundamental to note that the researcher used three research instruments namely questionnaires, interview schedules and document check lists. The use of various number of research instruments is always encouraged to ensure that the data collected is accurate and holistic. Expert opinion was also sought from the relevant personnel to ascertain the suitability of the of the research instruments. The research instruments are therefore explained as follows. Survey The survey that was used here were the results that were obtained from the surveymonkey team. They made the survey in a scope of eighteen people and provided the results in simple easy to translate graphical charts. Interview Schedules Apart from the survey, I also used interview schedule to collect data. The use of interview schedule was considered to be very in collection of corroborative information. The interview schedules always compliment the questionnaire through corroboration of the quantitative information. The data collected were used by the researcher to analyze and study and to approve the research question.. My questionnaire will have two sections only; section "A" I will carry personal interviews, especially with the young adults on the effect Table showing the respondents take on the effect of music on the young adults in drugs and alcohol consumption,. Music Total number supporting that it influences young adults into drugs and alcoholism Total number saying it does not influence the young adults into drugs and alcoholism Jazz 4 1 Reggae 3 2 Blues 1 4 Hip hop 3 2 The graphical presentation of the results. Read More