1. Chapter 1 - Introduction -- 2. Chapter 2 - What Is Sad Music? -- 3. Chapter 3 - The Philosophical Debate -- 4. Chapter 4 - Physiological Effects of Sad Music -- 5. Chapter 5 - A Historical Overview of Music and Mood Regulation -- 6. Chapter 6 - The Role of Sad Music in Mood Regulation -- 7. Chapter 7 - Individual Differences in the Attraction to Sad Music -- 8. Chapter 8 - Mood Regulation Disorders: An Exception to Mood Management Theory? -- 9. Chapter 9 - Musical Prescriptions: Do They Work -- 10. Chapter 10 - Listening Context: Group Rumination and Emotional Contagion -- 11. Chapter 11 - Nostalgia and Mixed Emotions in Response to Music -- 12. Chapter 12 - The Addiction of Love: Sad Music and Heartbreak -- 13. Chapter 13 - The Role of Sad Music in Grief -- 14. Chapter 14 - Towards a Model for Understanding Sad Music Listening.- References.

In this book, perspectives in psychology, aesthetics, history and philosophy are drawn upon to survey the value given to sad music by human societies throughout history and today. Why do we love listening to music that makes us cry? This mystery has puzzled philosophers for centuries and tends to defy traditional models of emotions. Sandra Garrido presents empirical research that illuminates the psychological and contextual variables that influence our experience of sad music, its impact on our mood and mental health, and its usefulness in coping with heartbreak and grief. By means of real-life examples, this book uses applied music psychology to demonstrate the implications of recent research for the use of music in health-care and for wellbeing in everyday life.

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