A recent ISU study states certain music might be making people more violent. Some local band members said they believe this study could be true.

The study, done by Craig Anderson, professor of psychology, graduate student Nicholas Carnagey and Janie Eubanks with the Texas Department of Human Services, concluded violent song lyrics increase aggressive thoughts and negative feelings in listeners.

Their study was published in the May issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

According to the study, five experiments were performed with more than 500 college students.

Certain subjects listened to violent lyrics, including Cypress Hill’s “Shoot ‘Em Up” and Tool’s “Jerk-Off.”

After exposure, these subjects were asked to perform a number of different psychological tasks that measured aggressive thoughts and feelings.

Phil Lombardo, member of local band Mechanistry, said he is not surprised by the study’s finding. He said he is aware of song lyrics’ powerful effects.

“Imagine someone talking to you saying ‘man, I hate my life, I want to kill myself.’ You’d want to help that person,” Lombardo said.

When those messages are in songs, especially in successful musicians’ songs, Lombardo said he thinks kids will want to emulate the train of thought instead of feeling sympathetic.

“People tend to follow the leader,” Lombardo said.

Todd Stevens, member of local band XL&DVD, said he also agrees with the study’s conclusion.

He said people’s brains work like computers recording everything that goes into them.

To demonstrate the power of influence he asked, “Close your eyes and try not to think of pink monkeys for five seconds,” then asked, “Did you think of pink monkeys?”

Stevens said musicians should be taking more responsibility for what they write.

He said he feels responsible for his listeners when writing song lyrics.

Josh Jacobsen, junior in industrial technology and member of both Mechanistry and Atrophy, said he disagrees with the conclusions drawn in the study.

He said music is a form of expression and every listener will interpret it differently.

Greg Rice, graduate student in computer engineering and board member of ISU’s radio station 88.5 KURE, said he also disagrees with the study’s finding.

“Aggressive music has not made me more aggressive; instead it has made me more passionate for the things I hold dear in life,” he said.

Rice also said he feels the aggressive music he listens to has been mislabeled as condoning violence.

“Lyrics are symbolic of the powerful messages within a song,” Rice said.

He said closer examination of song lyrics reveals deeper internal emotional struggles of the songwriter.

Rice used the example of lyrics by the rock group The Haunted, which he said appear to be predatory.

However, he said an acute listener will realize the group is making a social commentary.

“For nearly three years, I have maintained an extremely aggressive radio show and have no intention of changing it,” Rice said.