A lot of students across the globe believe that they should listen to music as it aids them to “concentrate better.” Many even claim that they cannot be more effective in their learning without music. However there are people who are averse to music, and need to be in silence in order to study better.
It is real that playing music aids students improve their learning? Or is it an unintentional distraction that they are not aware of? Let’s look at what the research has to say about it.
The Mozart Effect
The notion that music listening and especially classical music can make people smarter was first proposed in the 1990s in the beginning. The theory was referred to as”the Mozart phenomenon by researcher Dr. Gordon Shaw, who carried out a study on the brain’s spatial reasoning abilities.
Along with his fellow graduate student Siodan Leng, the two of them developed a model for the brain. He used musical notes to show brain activity. The results when analysed, was similar to the notes of classical music.
The Dr. Shaw conducted an experiment and obtained findings on how classical music affects the brains of students. The year 1993 was the time he released results showing that a group college students improved the IQ numbers by nine percentage points because of listening to “Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.” The media quickly noticed this and declaring it was because “classical music helps children become smarter.”
That, in turn resulted in the development of educational toys that incorporate the classical repertoire for kids, and the suggestion to women who are pregnant to place the headphones in their stomachs so that their children are exposed to classical music so they’re believed to be born intelligent. It was discovered it was the Mozart effect was in fact false, and many refer to it as”the” Mozart myth.
This can be attributed to a variety of reasons. The first is that college students were only tested on spatial intelligence and had to do tasks such as folding papers or solving mazes and is just one form of intelligence.
The theory was popular for a decade, but ten years later it was widely accepted A group of scientists collected the results of more than 40 research studies regarding Mozart effect. Mozart effect and found no evidence to suggest that listening classical music actually assists in completing certain tasks.
They did not find any evidence to suggest that IQ levels actually improve after playing classical music. It has not been proved the fact that classical music, or any other type of music in particular can make a person smarter or more knowledgeable.
Music can improve mood
It is important to note the fact that music can make people feel happier as music brings out pleasant emotions and boosts dopamine levels.
According to research that music listening stimulates Dopamine release into the brain. Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters which produces feelings of excitement and happiness.
Studies have proven that people can tackle issues better when in a good mood as opposed to those who are in a mood of negativity. Music that relaxes students can help them overcome anxiety and stress and improves the academic performance.
Research has shown how listening to music reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is the chemical that is typically associated with anxiety and stress. Since music can help you relax and sleep better, you will also be able to rest better. When you are sleeping better, you’re less stressed, leading to a more productive day.
Background music can be beneficial for long sessions of study because students tend to be more focused and engaged when they’re happy and can get through their work. If you’re in need of music to ease your mind and raise your spirits, which results in a more productive study session, then it’s definitely worth trying.
Music can hinder learning
There are studies that show the students that listen to music when doing tasks such as reading or writing are less efficient and do not learn more information than students who do not listen to music.
Additionally the music that is loud and “noisy” music negatively affects reading comprehension and mood. It makes them less effective in completing tasks. Research has shown that music can help to remember . Theoretically, memory development is more effective when you are in a positive state of mind.
Students who use music to remember frequently have difficulty to remember information later on because tests are conducted in a quiet setting. It has been demonstrated that the ability to recall information is more efficient when conducted in a similar environment that of the one where the information was learned.
Students who choose to study in a calm atmosphere are better off in terms of retaining information on the test.
The kind of music that you play is crucial
According to an University of Phoenix study, along with different studies, listening songs with lyrics can be quite distracting while you’re writing, studying or reading.
The researchers found that your brain is having trouble processing the lyrics of the song while trying to concentrate on your schoolwork. In essence, you’re performing several tasks simultaneously. This is, as per research, could lower your IQ by 10 points.
It’s only natural that you make use of your concentration levels by singing and listening to your favorite songs it is easy to get distracted from your writing and studying assignments.
However there is a chance that the Mozart effect isn’t an entirely untruth. Research has shown that although classical music may not improve the intelligence of students but it does aid them in learning.
A study carried out by researchers in France that was published in Learning and Individual Differences found that students who attended the lecture with classical music played in the background scored better in the test when compared to students who were given an unaccompanied lecture. Researchers discovered that listening to music with background calms students which makes them more open to information. Therefore, if you enjoy music that you find enjoyable and positive, try playing relaxing music on the background without any the words, so the music doesn’t distract your or hinder your learning. As with many learning methods the outcome is dependent on the individual and what is most effective for you. Doesn’t it?