Live concerts prompted stronger emotional responses than a simultaneous livestream
A pilot trial compared sharing a room with musicians against watching the same performance by cinematic livestream, examining reported feelings and heart measures.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Participants attending live performances reported greater appreciation, stronger feelings of being moved, and more positive and aroused emotional responses than livestream viewers. Average heart rate was also higher, while heart rate variability measures showed no statistically significant group differences. These results concern the concert experience; they do not demonstrate a lasting health benefit.
The abstract gives no effect sizes, assessment timing, or follow-up on lasting well-being. Higher heart rate alone does not establish improved health, and the nonsignificant variability results do not establish equivalence.
What was compared
Researchers used questionnaires alongside heart rate and heart rate variability recordings. The comparison focused on the musicians being physically present, with classical and pop performances contrasted against a cinematic livestream happening at the same time.
How to read the response
Feeling more moved or more positive is a subjective outcome. The physiological findings were narrower: average heart rate differed, but the variability measures did not show clear differences. The abstract cannot explain how these responses relate to later well-being.
The original publication
Musician presence and its effects on physiological and psychological well-being in live versus livestreamed concerts.
Becker AS, Peters J, van Schie MS et al.
Sci Rep · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41663726
- Record checked
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