Slot machines: the invisible influence of notes

Music has long gone beyond the confines of concert halls and has become one of the backgrounds and permanent elements of human life. Music accompanies us on the way to work, sets us up for productivity, joy, sadness, or relaxation. Under the influence of music, masterpieces of painting or literature are created, the last meters of daily jogging are overcome. Experienced advertisers and marketers know about the influence of music, as well as the developers of slot machines.

People rarely think about the mechanics of this kind of influence. But numerous studies confirm that different styles of music have unique properties. Melbourne scientists, for example, advise being more careful with hard rock, since this genre can cause aggressive states, but a comprehensively positive impact on a person, according to numerous studies, is provided by the classical works of famous world composers.

The impact of music on consumer behavior is one of the hottest topics in business. Thus, restaurant visitors can assess the level of the institution, barely crossing its threshold, and store owners have the opportunity to delay or direct the customer in the right direction, simply by switching compositions. The combination of music and advertising, in principle, has a very powerful effect on a person. So, a catchy melody can imperceptibly for the buyer to induce him to buy this or that product, repeating itself many times in his head.

The researchers emphasize that it is important to consider all factors when choosing background music for the service industry or retail: volume, tempo, rhythm, and style. However, the question of the target audience, which is classic for marketing, should not be disregarded either.

There is even a separate branch of science that studies the influence of music on consumer preferences - music marketing. It is believed that well-chosen musical accompaniment can help increase sales. According to the rules of music marketing, it is the sound element that can create a certain brand perception.

It is logical that everything said above about the influence of music on human behavior is also true in the context of the gameplay. Therefore, the selection of musical compositions is also important when creating the necessary atmosphere in land-based gambling establishments. Under the influence of globalization processes, slot machines in the classic format, as well as in the interactive one, have become one of the most popular types of gambling. If this type of gambling entertainment is not prohibited in the jurisdiction, of course.

Having collected data published in the public domain, we analyzed the action and musical preferences of the world's major slot developers.

The developers of slot machines pay a lot of attention not only to the functional component of slots but also to the thematic one. In this case, the factor of influence of music can be almost decisive when choosing one or another simulator. Music not only sets the pace of the game but also allows you to immerse yourself in the story that the developer offers. There are even separate slots dedicated to classical or contemporary music, as well as their performers.

However, everything has a flip side to the coin. According to research, the music that accompanies the game of slots can be addictive among visitors. Scientists have also shown that the melody, which traditionally sounds from slot machines, has an effect on the player, increasing the level of excitement and contributing to the growth of excitement.

Psychologists at the University of Waterloo, Canada, conducted a study involving 96 volunteers. The main subject of study was the change in the players' heartbeat during the game or at the end of it.

In addition, the scientists conducted a survey at the end of the experiment in order to understand exactly what emotions the visitor is experiencing and how they are affected by the music. The overwhelming majority of participants in the experiment - 72.5% reported that they liked playing with sound effects more than without it. By analyzing the players visually, while paying attention to the skin, the scientists found that the players who used the sound mode of the games were more emotionally aroused, and the game session itself became more fun for them. After measuring the level of conductivity of the skin, it turned out that the indicator was much higher if the participant turned on the musical accompaniment at the start of the slot.

Increased heart rate of the players, as a rule, accompanied the won rounds, in case of defeat, the pulse rate most often remained unchanged.

However, the most significant effect was that the players who took advantage of the musical accompaniment in the slot machines felt that they had won 24% more rounds than they actually had. The analogous figure for those who chose to turn off the music was only 15%.