Music Art and Phy Eds Impact on Student Test Scores
Listening to music for relaxation is common amid students to counter the effects of stress or anxiety while completing difficult academic tasks. Some studies supporting this technique have shown that background music promotes cognitive functioning while other studies have shown that listening to music while engaged in complex cognitive tasks tin can impair performance. This report focuses on the impact different genres of music, played at different volume levels, have on the cognitive abilities of college students completing bookish tasks.
Many students listen to music to alleviate the emotional furnishings of stress and anxiety when engaged in complex cerebral processing, such equally studying for a test, completing homework assignments, or while reading and writing. This practice is so mutual that it would be beneficial for college students to sympathize the role that music plays on cognitive operation. Research demonstrating the effects of music on performance is well documented, only have shown ambiguous bear witness on this affair. In studies conducted to learn well-nigh the effects of musical distraction on cerebral task performance, the findings have demonstrated the idea of music improving cognitive performance (Cockerton, Moore, & Norman, 1997), merely at that place has also been research contradicting those results, where music was found distracting for participants performing cerebral tasks (Furnham & Bradley, 1997). Still, with the plethora of music genres available to music listeners, it is important to understand how different types of music bear upon functioning. Additionally, very few studies address the interaction between the intensity or volume of the music played and its effect on cognitive processing. The present study aims to sympathise the effect of listening to different genres of music played at unlike volume levels on cognitive chore functioning.
Many students choose to listen to a preferred genre of music when they study or practice their homework without understanding the potential harmful effects of such do. A study conducted past Smith and Morris (1977) addressed this question by studying the effects of sedative and stimulative music. The study focused on the influence these ii distinct genres of music have on operation, anxiety, and concentration. Participants had to point their preferred genre and were requested to repeat a set of numbers backwards while listening to either the stimulative, sedative, or no music. The results indicated that participants performed worse while listening to their preferred blazon of music. Additionally, in the no music condition, participants performed best. These results bespeak that a preferred type of music can serve as a distracting factor when one is engaged in a cognitively enervating job perhaps due to the fact that less cognitive resource are available when the attention is drawn to the lyrics, emotions, and memories that such music tin evoke. Participants who listened to sedative music performed amend than participants who listened to simulative music and worse than those who listened to no music at all. These results indicated that stimulative music is a stronger distractor and obstructs cognitive processing more than sedative music does.
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The influence of music on cerebral operation has too been linked to personality types. A report conducted past Furnham and Bradley (1997) illustrated popular music as a distracter on the cognitive performance of introverts and extraverts. They predicted that extraverts would outperform introverts in the presence of music. The participants were required to perform 2 cerebral tasks: a memory test with both an immediate and a delayed think and a reading comprehension test. The two tasks would exist completed in the pop music condition besides equally in silence. The results determined that immediate recall on the memory exam was severely impaired for both introverts and extraverts when the pop music was played. In the delayed think component of the memory test, introverts showed significantly poorer recall than did extraverts in the popular music status too every bit introverts in the silent condition. As well the introverts' performance on the reading comprehension task in the pop music status was impaired when compared to extraverts in the same condition and to introverts who performed the job in silence. Overall, the researchers adamant that pop music served every bit a distractor for the cognitive performance of both extraverts and introverts; withal, introverts seemed to exist most affected. Interestingly, this report revealed some evidence that overall groundwork noise, such as television, music, and chatter could meliorate functioning in complex cognitive tasks for extraverts, although it will significantly impair introverts' functioning (Furnham & Bradley, 1997).
Studies involving racket as a distraction have demonstrated the same ambiguous results regarding their effect on cognitive processing as studies involving background music. Dobbs, Furnham, and McClelland (2011) conducted a study that tested the effect of distracters, specifically background noise and music, on cerebral tasks for introverts and extraverts. The researchers hypothesized that functioning, for both introverts and extraverts, would be worse in the presence of music and noise than it would exist in silence; specifically, for all the cognitive tasks, functioning would diminish in the presence of background dissonance, meliorate with just groundwork music, and be optimal in silence. The findings supported their predictions and showed that cognitive performance in silence was better than performance with background music, which in plow was better than performance with groundwork noise. The results also demonstrated that, overall, performance in silence was best when compared to functioning in background racket and music (Dobbs, Furnham, & McClelland, 2011). In contrast, a written report conducted by Pool (2002), monitored the distracting effects of groundwork goggle box on homework performance and did not find whatsoever meaning harm on homework assignments when students were distracted by telly while working on those assignments. These findings indicate that background noise, just like background music impacts cognitive performance in ways that have not been fully understood by researchers.
Although previous enquiry has established that music can either distract or facilitate cognitive task operation, improved performance in the presence of music might be directly related to the type of music listened to (Cockerton, Moore, & Norman, 1997). A study conducted by Hallman, Toll, and Katsarou, (2002) supported this statement. In fact, they tested the effect of calming and relaxing music on arithmetic and memory performance tests in children ranging from ages ten to twelve. They institute ameliorate performance on both tasks in the calming and relaxing music condition when compared with a no-music condition. They also tested these children in an arousing, aggressive, and unpleasant music status, and the results showed that their functioning on both tasks was heavily disrupted and led to a lower level of reported altruistic behavior by the children (Hallman, Price, & Katsarou, 2002). Although these data did not detect that calming music enhanced functioning, one might imply that this type of music tin can provide a soothing environment that puts students at ease, facilitating cerebral processing.
The present study considers the furnishings of 2 different types of music at varying intensities on cognitive task functioning and compared them to tasks performed in silence. It was predicted that tasks performed in silence would yield better results than tasks performed both in the soft music and the loud music conditions, demonstrating that music is a distracter to cognitive performance. Additionally, operation scores were expected to be significantly lower in the presence of loud music at a high intensity, suggesting that both the blazon of music and the volume at which the music is played are contributors to the distracting effect of music. Finally, performance was predicted to be significantly college in the presence of soft music compared to loud music.
Xxx-two undergraduate students (twenty-v females, vii males), ranging in historic period from 20 to 41 years from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Canton (UMBC) at Shady Grove participated in this written report. Participants were selected from a psychology class and received extra credit for their participation as agreed on by the class's instructor. All students participated on a voluntary basis.
This study used v unlike arithmetic tests to measure out cognitive performance (Appendix A). The tests consisted of xx different operations: 5 multiplication, 5 division, five addition, and five subtraction problems. The order of operations was randomized throughout the tests. No question involved operations with more than a 3-digit number. The five tests were similar in difficulty. Loud music was divers equally heavy-rock metallic music, and the song used in that condition was "Not Ready to Dice" (Demon Hunters, 2004). Soft music was divers as classical piano-only music, and the piece that was used in that condition was "Morning Light" (Beeson, 2004).
The study was conducted in rooms assigned by the University of Maryland, Baltimore Canton (UMBC) at Shady Grove. Participants were given informed consent forms to fill up out at the beginning of the experiment and a research participation credit canvass. A repeated-measure design was used in this written report. All thirty-two participants were exposed to all five weather condition. The researcher explained to participants that music would be played while they solved the questions on the tests. The book at each music condition was adjusted as the experiment progressed.
The participants were asked to solve 5 arithmetics tests with twenty dissimilar questions on each examination. The first test was conducted in the soft music condition at low intensity (Examination 1- SM-LO), and the 2d exam, in the loud music condition at low intensity (Test 2-LM-LO). The tertiary test was performed in complete silence (Test three- SIL). The quaternary and fifth tests were conducted in soft music and loud music conditions, respectively, both at high volume intensity (Test 4-SM-HI and Test 5 LM-Howdy). The participants were immune threescore seconds to complete each test. At that place was a twenty second waiting period between each examination. The participants were not allowed to use a calculator or whatever other electronic device to consummate the questions on the tests.
This written report was conducted in a repeated-measured design; therefore, a paired sample t-test was used for the assay. An blastoff level of .05 was used for the analysis. The independent variable was the type of music played at two different levels of intensity: high intensity and low intensity. The dependent variable was the performance score, which was measured in terms of authentic answers obtained in each of the tests. The tests were not graded for completion but for accuracy only.
In agreement with the first hypothesis, performance scores were significantly higher in silence (M= 12.94) than in all four music conditions, intensity levels, and types of music combined (G= eleven.99), t(31)= 2.21, p <.05. The 2nd hypothesis was also supported in the study; participants obtained significantly higher test scores at low intensity (Chiliad= 25.63) than at high intensity of both types of music (1000= 22.34), t(31)= 4.75, p <.001. Performance scores were also significantly higher in silence (Chiliad= 12.94) than in loud music at high intensity (M= ten.78), t(31) = -two.90, p< .05.
However, in that location was also no significant difference in test scores between participants in the soft music conditions (Thousand= 23.75) and operation in the loud music atmospheric condition (M= 24.22), t(31)= -0.56, p= 0.582.
The present report sought to demonstrate the impact of different genres of music played at different volume levels on cognitive operation. In accordance with the first hypothesis, participants performed better in silence than they did in any music conditions. The findings were also in understanding with the second hypothesis. They demonstrated that the performance was significantly worse in the presence of loud music at high intensity. Contrary to the tertiary hypothesis, however, at that place was no significant difference between the type of music that was played and performance scores. The scores were not significantly higher in the soft music versus the loud music status. Interestingly, there was no difference when the scores from the soft music at high intensity were compared to scores from the loud music at high intensity.
These results seem to parallel those of Smith and Morris (1977). In their study, they also found that participants performed meliorate on a cognitive processing examination while listening to no music than they did while listening to either stimulating or sedative music. They adamant that operation is dumb with music and optimized with no music. Even so, their study revealed that participants performed significantly amend while listening to sedative music than they did while listening to stimulating music, whereas the current experiment found no meaning deviation in examination scores between the loud music and soft music weather condition.
The third hypothesis suggested that performance would exist improve in the soft music status when compared to the loud music condition because it was believed that classical music would provide a positive, soothing, and comfortable environs for the participants due to its relaxing tone that will facilitate information processing. Notwithstanding, that hypothesis was not supported by the results; information technology is of import to annotation that the overall performance was significantly lower in the loud music at high intensity. Based on these results, the presence of lyrics and the consistent use of louder instruments, such as drums, bass and, electric guitar to the heavy metal rock music tin exist seen as reasons for its distracting furnishings.
Interestingly, while the findings of this study revealed that it is the intensity of the music rather than the blazon of music that matters the most when it comes to cognitive performance, it is all the same noteworthy to point out that scores were significantly higher when participants completed the tests in the silence condition. Through this process, it tin can be implied that it is easier to procedure data in the presence of a minimal level of distraction. It can exist implied that students should not mind to whatever music or allow any auditory disturbance while studying to obtain maximum functioning level. Students should strive to study and learn in an environment such every bit the library or a private study room that is as quiet every bit possible, especially when the material requires higher cognitive processing.
The sample size was the major limitation of this report. Although two of the predictions were supported with this sample, large samples could have provided more than reliable significances that could exist generalized to the college student population. Due to the limited availability of participants, this study was conducted in a repeated-measured pattern, which could also be a limiting cistron. The sequence in which the tests were given was non randomized throughout the experiment; as such, learning effects could account for the comeback in later tests as the study progressed. Futurity enquiry should strive to change the sequence in which the tests are administered to guarantee that the results obtained are those of the treatment furnishings and to eliminate or reduce possible learning effects.
The design of the room could besides be another limitation to this experiment. Where participants were seated in the room could take had an outcome on how the music was heard. Hence, for participants sitting closer to the speakers, the music was louder than those who were sitting on the other side of the room. This variance in volume level may have either positively or negatively afflicted the results. Although, some of the results from this study showed that the arithmetic problems were a sufficient tool to appraise cognitive performance; however, they may have been besides simple for students on the collegiate level to perform. Besides, there were no mathematical base level assessments conducted prior to the study. Participants with stronger skills could have had a biased reward, whereas those with lower mathematical skills would take had a biased disadvantage. Time to come inquiry should program to design more than complex cognitive processing tests, such as memory tests or reading comprehension questions from standardized tests similar the GRE or the SAT. This could provide a more accurate delineation of the participants' cerebral processing abilities.
Results from the current study demonstrated how important it is to consider the effects of distracting music on cognitive performance. It was shown that the book plays a crucial role and could be more than important than the blazon of music played. Yet, data from this study has demonstrated that silence seems to be the best environment to maximize performance when engaging in cognitive activity. Classical music was not shown to enhance performance opposite to the study's expectations. Hence, the direct benefits of listening to music on cognitive processing could be more than of a fantasy than a reality.
Beeson, Sean. (2004). Morning Light. On Ivory Dreams [CD]. United States: Serenity Studio LLC.
Cockerton, T., Moore, S., & Norman, D. (1997). Cerebral test functioning and background music. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85(3, Pt 2), 1435-1438.
Demon Hunter. (2004). Non set up to die. On Summer of Darkness [CD]. Nashville, Usa: Solid State.
Dobbs, Due south., Furnham, A., & McClelland, A. (2011).The event of groundwork music and racket on the cognitive test functioning of introverts and extraverts. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25(2), 307–313.
Furnham, A., & Bradley, A. (1997). Music while y'all piece of work: The differential lark of background music on the cognitive test operation of introverts and extraverts. Practical Cognitive Psychology, 11(five), 445-455.
Hallman, South., Price, J., & Katsarou, G. (2002). The effects of background music on primary school'south pupils' task operation. Educational Studies, 28(2), 111-122.
Puddle, M. Grand. (2002). Distraction effects of background television on homework performance. Noise and Vibration Worldwide, 33(1), 24-28.
Smith, C.A., & Morris, L. W. (1977). Differential furnishings of stimulative and sedative music feet, concentration, and performance. Psychological Reports, 41, 1047-1053.
| Examination 1- SM- LO one. 9+9 = 2. xi-viii = iii. 21÷7 = 4. 12 10 iii = v. 8+13 = vi. 81÷9 = 7. 35-7 = 8. 4 ten 7= 9. 64÷8 = 10. 27+9 = 11. 10-two = 12. ix x 6 = 13. xviii ÷6 = 14. vi+9 = fifteen. 7 x 8 = 16. 32-6 = 17. 48 ÷8 = 18. v x vii = 19. eight + 6 = xx. 22-8 = | Examination 2 – LM- LO i. 8+9 = ii. 13-viii = three. 21÷3 = 4. 12 x 3 = 5. viii+14 = 6. 35÷5 = vii. 25-7 = 8. 4 x 6= 9. 24÷8 = 10. 17+seven = 11. 13-5 = 12. 9 ten iv = 13. xviii ÷iii = 14. sixteen+7 = 15. 31-half dozen = 16. 7 x 7 = 17. 36 ÷vi = 18. eight x seven = nineteen. 9 + 8 = 20. 21-6 = | TEST 3-SIL 1. six+7 = two. 12-vii = 3. 24÷4 = 4. 11 10 5 = five. 7+15 = 6. 35÷v = seven. 26-ix = eight. 8x7 = 9. 34÷2 = ten. 18+7 = eleven. 14-5 = 12. seven x6 = 13. 18 ÷three = 14. 26+9 = xv. 21-six = 16. 4 x nine = 17. 49 ÷7 = 18. 7 x 3 = 19. 6 + 9 = 20. 19-8 = | TEST iv- SM-Hello i. v+6= two. eleven-7 = 3. 26÷ii = 4. nine 10 5 = 5. 6+17 = six. 40÷5 = 7. 27-9 = viii. six x 9 = nine. 54÷2 = 10. nineteen+9 = xi. 16 -nine = 12. 8x6 = 13. 32 ÷4 = fourteen. 25+ix = 15. 31-6 = 16. 7 x 9 = 17. 49 ÷seven = xviii. 8 ten nine = 19. 19 + 7 = twenty. 38-nine = | TEST 5– LM-HI i. 7+9 = two. 41-7 = 3. 36÷2 = four. 9 x three = v. five+19 = 6. xx÷five = 7. 28-ix = 8. 9 x ix = nine. 48÷4 = 10. 18+8= xi. 17 -9 = 12. 8x7 = 13. 32 ÷8 = 14. 15+9 = 15. 31-4 = xvi. vii 10 5 = 17. 28÷seven = 18. 9 x iv = 19. 29 + 8 = xx. 36-9 = |
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