- Narcocorridos have positioned themselves as one of the most popular musical styles in Mexico.
- At the same time, this form of expression is also criticized because it supposedly promotes violent behavior among people.
- A psychologist analyzed this phenomenon to identify if a musical composition can really generate this type of influence.
Music is a very important part of the lives of millions of people. For some it is not only a form of entertainment but also has the capacity to generate indescribable sensations. But in the same way that it can cause positive effects, can it also be harmful? The discussion starts from the current heyday of the narcocorridos and the presumed influence they exert on their listeners.
The theme that the songs can address is quite broad. Many focus on personal experiences and others lean towards fantasy. Sometimes they talk about love and other times about philosophical messages.
What are narcocorridos?
In this case, in recent years the narcocorridos although they have always been involved in strong controversies. Its structure is quite simple, although its main characteristic is the lyrics of its compositions because they tell stories and adventures related to the world of crime and drug trafficking.
Now if one If someone listens to narcocorridos, it does not mean that they are influenced to present criminal behavior. Despite the above, there are more vulnerable ages in which society is more exposed to normalizing violent behavior but combined with various factors and contexts.
According to the Dr. Marina Alvelais AlarcónDirector of the School of Psychology at CETYS University Campus Tijuana, children and adolescents are more exposed to being influenced, but mainly by their socio-affective context, by family, teachers, friends, and even by their idols or heroes.
“It also has to do with the high consumption of violence by the different media. This influence may reflect the automation of certain behaviors, and when we normalize these behaviors, when a stimulus is presented it will respond automatically, this barrage of violence is the main influence.”
Does banning music that promotes criminal acts work as a preventative measure?
The Director of the School of Psychology at Campus Tijuanareferred that when prohibition and punishment are used to avoid a certain behavior, this can arouse a greater increase in the response that is precisely sought to be avoided.
“There is a deeper issue, which is who are the ones promoting this violent content, since the negative influence comes from what is closest to people, mainly when they are in the development stage.”
Dr. Marina Alvelais said that there are studies in music therapy indicating that there are sound patterns to which people are more susceptible and become reinforcing in the brain.
“The lyrics do not necessarily influence, because when you are a child many times you do not perceive the messages of violence, but rather the tune that is catchy, you repeat it and put lyrics that sometimes we don’t even understand, you keep repeating it, without reflecting.”
However, he made it clear that the messages do have an influence to a certain degree and it is not desirable for children to be exposed to violent content, since it becomes repetitive and normalized for them.
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