Digital jazz and emotional regulation: A neuroaffective and streaming behavior analysis of psychological escapism

Music streaming platforms have become essential parts of daily life that people now use to regulate their emotions and cope with their psychological needs in online environments. Research has investigated how digital jazz activities connect to neuroemotional functions, emotional control and psychological escape among adult participants from Guangdong Province, China, who are aged 18 to 45 years. The researchers used a mixed-methods design that combined streaming behavior analysis with neurophysiological tests that employed electroencephalography (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance response (SCR) and psychometric assessment and semistructured interview analysis. The researchers applied structural equation modeling together with regression analysis and thematic analysis to perform the data analysis. The results revealed that people who engaged more in digital jazz music showed greater increases in alpha and theta brainwaves, higher levels of parasympathetic system activity and lower levels of physical arousal, and they used emotional regulation skills and engaged in psychological restoration through their music listening activities. The qualitative results revealed that people experienced deep emotional experiences while their minds separated from reality and that they felt safe because of the algorithms that controlled their emotional experiences. The study revealed that people use streaming-based jazz listening to help their emotional needs, which they use for digital well-being treatment and music-based mental health methods in their daily lives.