Have you ever found yourself scrolling through YouTube and coming across a lofi hip-hop live stream? Or are you being unproductive by watching Netflix?
Many people swear by studying with music and claim it’s a helpful tool for studying and working. However, is this really the case? Others find it hard to focus with background noise. It all depends on the student.
So, what’s the deal with studying with music? Is it really worth the hype? The so-called Mozart Effect, the belief that music enhances intelligence, has been refuted and doubted by many.
The History of the Mozart Effect
The term “Mozart effect” was coined in 1991 and according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, the phrase refers to the possibility that listening to specific types of music enhances cognitive functioning. In other words, listening to some types of music makes you smarter.
In 1993, researchers from UC Irvine performed an experiment testing the ability of college students to complete tasks after listening to different types of noise. On three separate occasions, the students were given a series of mental tasks to complete after 10 minutes of listening to three different types of noise: silence, a tape of relaxation instructions, or Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major. The students who listened to music did better at tasks that involved creating shapes in their mind, in which they were given a folded paper including random cuts and had to predict the final shape. However, the authors of the paper stressed that the effect only lasted for about fifteen minutes at a time. Music will not bring you a lifetime of enhanced intelligence.
After the 1993 experiment, more researchers began to test the effect of music on cognitive function. An analysis of sixteen later studies confirmed what the UCI researchers found in 1993. In 2010, another analysis of a larger number of studies revealed that the key to briefly enhanced intelligence is background noise the individual likes (ex: classical music or pop music). A study in 2006 involving eight thousand British children revealed that the children who listened to pop music performed more accurately on mental tasks than the children who listened to classical music. However, to focus on a task and marginally improve, one just needs cognitive arousal. That means coffee or exercise could easily replace music.
Negatives of Listening to Music While Studying
- Music with strong lyrics decreases efficiency during tasks like reading or writing.
- Loud and agitating music, such as punk, hip-hop, or rock and roll, might worsen the mood of students and have a negative effect on focus.
- Students who are used to studying with music might see their capability decrease during a test in a classroom with silence.
Benefits of Listening to Music While Studying
- Music can ease stress and anxiety.
- A student could improve their mood by listening to their favorite music.
- Music makes long sessions less boring.
- Music helps with memorization and boosts brain stimulation.
Tips and Tricks for Getting the Most out of Music
- Choose music without lyrics.
- Listen to relaxing instrumentals.
- Try music in different languages.
- Upbeat and motivational music are for breaks only!
- Make your study playlists before you actually start studying.
- Play your music at a low volume.
- Avoid using headphones, if possible.
- Change the song if you end up getting distracted.
What Types of Music Could a Student Possibly Listen to?
- Lofi
- Classical
- Low-tempo EDM
- Instrumentals of your favorite pop songs
- Nature sounds
- White noise
- ASMR
- Binaural Beats
Music can either help or hurt a student. Everything depends on the student’s preferred method of studying. Personally, I always listen to music while studying and it’s very effective.
tl;dr
The so-called Mozart Effect, the belief that music enhances intelligence, has been refuted and doubted by many. In 1993, researchers from UC Irvine performed an experiment testing the ability of college students to complete tasks after listening to different types of noise. Students who listened to music did better at tasks that involved creating shapes in their mind, in which they were given a folded paper including random cuts and had to predict the final shape. Music will not bring you a lifetime of enhanced intelligence. To focus on a task and marginally improve, one just needs cognitive arousal. That means coffee or exercise could easily replace music.