Music Psychology in Portugal: Mapping Scientific Production and the Institutionalization of Knowledge (2007-2027)

Music Psychology constitutes an interdisciplinary scientific domain dedicated to the study of biological, psychological, behavioral, and social processes involved in the experience of the musical phenomenon.

In Portugal, this field has gained greater expression through academic production, undergraduate and postgraduate training, participation in scientific meetings, and the development of research positioned at the interface between Psychology, Education, Musicology, and Health, among other domains.

Despite this growth, a systematic and longitudinal characterization of its evolution, scientific structure, and institutional presence remains to be conducted. Thus, the following question arises: how is this interdisciplinary scientific field constituted, legitimized, and consolidated in Portugal?

To answer this question, this research project aims to map and analyze the development of Music Psychology in Portugal between 2007 and 2027, considering the evolution of scientific production, key thematic and methodological trends, collaboration networks, and interdisciplinary relationships. The goal is to understand not only the quantitative growth of production but also the establishment of objects of study, research agendas, and academic structures associated with this domain.

It is expected to identify the main milestones in the evolution of Music Psychology in Portugal, institutional hubs, collaboration networks, predominant thematic areas, methodological transformations, interdisciplinary relations, and persistent gaps.

The study will adopt a mixed-methods design, articulating bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and non-parametric statistics. The documentary corpus will include theses, dissertations, scientific articles, books, book chapters, conference papers, and other research outputs identified in institutional repositories and bibliographic databases.

As main results, the project foresees the development of a thematic mapping, the identification of trends and emerging areas, as well as the formulation of recommendations for the future development of the field.

By producing the first longitudinal and multidimensional characterization of Music Psychology in Portugal, this study will provide a foundation for strategic development and enhanced scientific visibility, aiming for greater articulation between researchers and institutions, and supporting strategies for research, training, and national cooperation.