Final answer:
The statement that Music Therapy responses can only be evoked through small recognizable themes is false. Music can universally evoke emotions and is not limited by cultural boundaries, as shown by the research study led by Thomas Fritz. Music Therapy leverages this power of music to aid in emotional expression and connection across cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that responses in Music Therapy can only be evoked through creating small recognizable themes. While it may be beneficial in some therapeutic contexts to use familiar musical motifs to elicit responses, Music Therapy encompasses a broader range of techniques and does not rely solely on this method. In fact, studies have shown that music itself can be a universal language capable of evoking a wide range of emotions across different cultures. For example, research by Thomas Fritz and colleagues demonstrated that even participants who had never previously been exposed to Western music could identify emotions such as happiness, sadness, and fear within the music. This suggests that the emotional response to music transcends culturally specific themes and can be a universal experience.
In addition to its ability to express emotions, Music Therapy can also foster a sense of wholeness within a group and facilitate connections beyond linguistic barriers, further supporting the notion that music can convey emotions that are cultural universals. This is backed by the concept that language and music were thought to be interconnected in the early stages of human evolution, highlighting the fundamental role of music in communication and emotional expression.