...Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON READING COMPREHENSION The Effects of Classical and Contemporary Music on Reading Comprehension of College Students Louis Sandro Y. Aboga Bakhita Mae Alexie N. Llames Aquinas University of Legazpi The Effects of Classical and Contemporary Music on Reading Comprehension of College Students Music is more pervasive now than at any other point in history, functioning not only as a pleasurable art form, but also serving many important psychological functions (MacDonald, Hargreaves and Miell, 2002) and influencing cognitive functioning (Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky 1993) Music and Reading Comprehension Etaugh and Ptasnik (1982) found that individuals who rarely studied with background music showed better comprehension when they learned in silence, while those who frequently studied with music performed better in the presence of music. Hall (1952), exploring the possible uses of music in schools, found that performance on reading comprehension tests was significantly improved when background music was playing; 58% of the 245 8th and 9th graders taking part in the study, showed an increase in scores a reading test. Physiological Aspect on Music and Memory Numerous previous studies have tested to determine if the above conditions do in fact play an integral role in being a catalyst or antagonist to understanding complex literature. First the topic will be addressed from a biological perspective: processing in...
Words: 4520 - Pages: 19
...that could affect progress could be music playing in the background or listening to music whilst you’re trying to work. Another example could be television playing in the background. If you were trying to work at home there could be a lot of noise, conversation, distraction etc… This would prevent you from work progression. To reduce the risk of this barrier you could find a quiet place to work, eliminate distractions and ask to not be disturbed. Lack of concentration Lack of concentration is when someone has very little or no concentration towards something. Possible things that can cause a lack of concentration could be a person’s lack of interest in the conversation he/she are having. People can also be easily distracted by technology or background noise of any sort. Lack of concentration could prevent people from communication effectively as it would distract their attention to something else therefore he/she would of either missed vital information or overall not understood what the conversation, this would be bad in a work place because if someone was giving you a piece of work you had to complete for a specific deadline and you were not paying attention you would not understand what you had to do or miss when the deadline was leading you to not complete your work which will get you in trouble with your boss. To reduce this bar you could turn any technology around you off and have the conversation in a quiet place away from distraction and noise. General communication...
Words: 492 - Pages: 2
...“Juggling tasks can make our brains lose connections to important information.” Let's say you are sitting in your room after school on your phone, switching between your email, Facebook, Snapchat, and even more. You then even get to doing some homework, and a message pops up on your phone. You stop your homework to look at that message, but then your attention shifts to changing the music on your phone because it’s not the mood you’re in. And trust me, i know the problem, but i’m here to tell you as a teen just like you, why “multitasking” is the real problem. First, multitasking seems plaint. When you think you are multitasking… you’re not- it’s actually slowing you down and creating another distraction. I’m saying: it’s going to take longer because we have to remind our brains what we are working on. When you are switching tasks, it slows you down, when you think you are going faster… funny huh? Lets even think about when you listen to music when you're working on your homework that is due the next day for math class. When you listen to music your brain can't focus on both at...
Words: 499 - Pages: 2
...Examining the Effects of Music on Memory <Name Removed> University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Abstract This experiment was designed to test the effects that classical music has on memory. Previous experiments have shown that the effects of music can be beneficial in work and school environments. Our hypothesis was that a group that is required to listen to classical music during a study would outperform a group who studied in silence. The participants were college students and were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group performed the experiment in complete silence, while the experimental group listened to classical music the entire time. Both groups were asked to examine a picture and memorize as much as they could for two minutes. Immediately after two minutes a short distraction film was played and a multiple choice test was given. The results were not statistically significant and our hypothesis was rejected. Methodological limitations and ideas for follow-up research are discussed. Keywords: music, memory, memorize, distraction, test Examining the Effects of Music on Memory Memory is an area that sparks the interest of many scientists. Memory can be affected by multiple genetic and environmental factors having positive and negative influences on working memory function (Alley & Greene, 2008). Research has shown that if music is played to babies while in the womb, they possess recognition and memory recall of the music a year after being born...
Words: 2303 - Pages: 10
...EFFECTS OF POPULAR MUSIC ON MEMORIZATION TASKS Running Head: Music and memorization Abstract This study investigated the effects that popular music has on memory performance. It was proposed that popular music would adversely affect both studying and memory recall. Forty introductory psychology students participated in the study. Subjects were given a list of fifty words to study in 6 ½ minutes, with music either being present or absent. This was termed the learning stage. In this study, four conditions were tested. In all 4 conditions, subjects were assigned to either a “music” pre-period or a “non-music” pre-period and a “music” post-period or a “non-music” post-period. After they had studied the words, subjects were given another 6 ½ minutes to recall the words either with or without music present. This period was called the recall stage. The researchers hypothesized that music would have a detrimental effect on performance, these expected results were not found. Findings from this study suggested that students who study while listening to popular music performed at the same level as those without music present in either condition. Results indicated that women excelled in recall when the testing condition did not have music present in comparison to men. Effects of popular music on memorization tasks The purpose of this study was to find whether popular music would have a positive or negative effect on memory tasks. There are many different perspectives...
Words: 2466 - Pages: 10
...of learning from the comfort of one’s home. In other words, online learning occurs in an asynchronous environment. Students who are enrolled in online institutions must create an environment for themselves, because despite the convenience online learning does not necessarily facilitate a traditional classroom learning environment. For example, in a traditional classroom, students are sitting in neat spaces with their attention pierced on the professors’ lectures and taking notes. The occurrence of any distractions is very limited. Student can make use of their potential learning style to retain the information. Whereas, online students may get disrupted by presence of divided attention, dichotic listening or cocktail party phenomenon, and learning still occurs, but learning styles may get adjusted. Online students can easily get distracted, since they are studying at their home they are more susceptible to the possible distractions that are within their home. Possible distractions could be children, taking care of the home, the television, any little thing that might take their focus off of their work. In an effort to stay focused on the task at hand the person(s) could always close themselves...
Words: 1983 - Pages: 8
...Music is an important and extremely useful tool in the way we learn and to deny its power is a waste of a truly wonderful resource” (Kristian David Olson). Though some would look at music as a small footnote in the progression of humanity, it is in fact a much greater force; for some, it defines their very existence. The fact is, music is a driving force in society; it has been present since the dawn of man. The average person spends several hours a day listening to music, whether they see it as a main activity or just as something to take up space in the background. It is not surprising, then, that music has a great effect on how humans think and act, possibly even affecting intelligence. Several studies have been conducted on this theory; though some results are questionable, the consensus view seems to be that music has the capacity for both positive and negative effects. As a background activity, listening to music has been shown to positively affect mood, productivity, and even intelligence. As stated on the Reverse Spins website: “simply listening to music in the background while doing an arduous task can make it seem much easier, or in some cases […] ease the strain of an activity” (Olson). Whether it is merely a distraction from the stress of a situation or genuinely lifts the mood of the listener, music has been shown in several studies to increase productivity in this manner. In both cases, the listener often finishes the activity in a shorter period of time and with...
Words: 412 - Pages: 2
...environment by minimizing noise, obtaining enough sleep and taking care of themselves in general, attending to these needs first will help a person to focus on what is perceived as important, whether it is at a conference or a cocktail party. Many students listen to classical music when studying, Mozart being the first choice. Studies have shown that listening to classical music helps one to concentrate on the task at hand, and helps to eliminate minor outside distractions. Amanda Rivera Part A: It is important to minimize distractions when reaching an auditory threshold. It is very hard for me to be able to hear anything when there is a lot of noise or distraction. When I try to work on my assignments for class, I have to make sure that my son is in bed, the television is cut off, and the only sounds are the air conditioner humming. It helps me to concentrate and the noise of the hum drowns out any noise coming from outside. However, I do not hear the air conditioner hum during the day when the television is on, or the construction workers are bulldozing across the street. People often use headphones to listen to their music from their IPods or laptops. Headphones will minimize all outside distractions and noise,...
Words: 2305 - Pages: 10
...Comprehension activity: In each case, match a summary of what was said to the speaker. The speakers are in the order in which you hear them. Speaker Martina Rachel Romesh Mark John Summary statement I have a clear policy on when I can have distractions. I was surprised to find I couldn’t work like I had expected to. It’s often difficult for me to find the ideal working conditions. My expertise makes it easier for me to listen to music while I work. Whether I listen to music or not depends on the amount of attention the task requires. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a) b) c) d) e) Martina: “It depends what I’m doing. I can listen to music of any kind when I’m doing a translation, I like it, it helps me even, but if I’m doing some complex maths then I have to have silence. It depends on the level of concentration that’s needed, I guess.” Rachel: “No, it has to be complete silence for me. It’s a real problem actually because I live in a shared house with lots of other students in the middle of a noisy city. It’s very difficult to get real peace and quiet. When I can I go back to my parents who live out in the country. It’s good when I have lots of exams to study for because it’s so peaceful out there – no disturbances at all!” Romesh: “A bit of background buzz in the office is essential for me. I like working in a lively atmosphere, people around, chat, the radio on perhaps. It generates an energy which I find helps me concentrate. I once came in to work on a Sunday when I had a big project...
Words: 578 - Pages: 3
...1 Teenagers’ Reasons for Listening to Music and the Students’ Perception of the Effects of Listening When Completing School Assignments1 Jennifer Adriano Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Thomas DiPaola Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Center for Research and Evaluation The Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School Johnson & Wales University 1 Paper presented at the 42nd annual meeting of the New England Educational Research Organization, April, 2010, Portsmouth, NH. 2 Introduction Music is a significant part of our lives. People listen to music on the radio at home and in their car; they watch music videos on television or hand held technology; they buy CDs or download music; and they attend concerts. People also hear music in stores, restaurants, sporting events, and doctors’ offices (Schellenberg, Peretz, & Vieillard, 2008). Music is very important to many adolescents and they spend a considerable amount of their time listening to music. One study with N = 2,465 adolescents ages 13 and 14 found that participants listened to music for an average of 2.45 hours per day (North, Hargreaves, & O’Neill, 2000). Music has become a personal accompaniment in many teenagers’ lives because of the availability and popularity of personal music listening devices. In 2009, Jaffray released the results from the 18th semi-annual survey, “taking stock with teens.” The team of researchers surveyed approximately N = 1,200 students, with an average age of 16.3, in...
Words: 6569 - Pages: 27
...teacher. If you have a problem or if you don’t understand, just say to the teacher and ask her with respect for a question. 2) Write down every teacher says is important and always make sure that it is an understandable and clearly. 3) Create a special study area. Avoid distractions while studying. Find a nice or quiet area where you can study all alone. 4) Don’t wait until the last minute. If you try cramming for your test, you will get tired and unprepared. The tip is to review a key ideas and anything that’s important and has to be memorized should have be known in several days before the test. This will give your confidence to do your best. 5) Always be prepared for the test. Getting a goodnight’s sleep. Eating a healthy breakfast and getting to school on time. This will help you to make your great experience. Just have to relax and enjoy the test. Be confident to yourself. HOW WILL YOU DEVELOP YOUR STUDY SKILLS? 1) Get everything you need before you sit down to study such as pencils, papers pens notebooks and etc. 2) Avoid distractions. Make sure your TV or radio is turning off or anything that is blurring in the background, if you want some music you should do listen to classical music and keep the volume down. 3) Develop a calm attitude. You have to be calm and be patient with yourself. Nobody learns anything immediately. 4) make sure you get enough sleep. Staying up late studying is not a good idea. It reduces your ability to remember what you’ve learned...
Words: 329 - Pages: 2
...Vol. 3 The Effects of Different Types of Music on Cognitive Abilities Laurel Harmon, Kristen Troester Taryn Pickwick, Giovanna Pelosi Western Connecticut State University A variety of research has been conducted on the effects of different types of music on cognitive abilities. Many of these studies are based upon the Mozart Effect, which claims that listening to classical music has an advantage over other types of music on learning. This study consists of two experiments which tested 54 college students ages 18-50. In Experiment 1, we hypothesized that participants exposed to Mozart would score significantly higher on a listening comprehension test than those exposed to rock music or silence. In Experiment 2, we hypothesized that listening to rock music would result in lower reading comprehension test scores than classical music or non-music groups. An ANOVA test indicated that the results for both experiments were non-significant. The relationship between music and learning has been an area of interest for researchers for many years. Some studies have shown that music can enhance cognitive abilities (Hall, 1952), and others have shown that it can interfere with complex cognitive processes but not simple processes (Fogelson, 1973). In 2004, researchers conducted a study that presented the effect of Mozart’s music on learning. The effect demonstrated that there may be an important relationship between certain types of music (e.g. classical) and learning (Jackson & Tluaka...
Words: 4657 - Pages: 19
...Phoenix Material Effective Study Habits Worksheet Review Phoenix Career Plan results of Career Plan Building Activity: Work Culture Preference, respond to the following in 50 to 100 words each: 1. Describe your ideal study environment. My ideal study environment would be a safe and comfortable area free from distractions. I would want to make sure that I have all that I would need to stay organized and be able to do my best work or studying. When I am relaxed and able to write out my ideas I am usually able to complete my assignments in a timely manner. 2. List some of the distractions that might hinder your study progress or your performance in an online classroom. Some of the distractions that might hinder my progress in an online classroom are watching TV, eating with my family, listening to music, interacting with my children, talking on the phone, or getting tired. Not getting the proper amount of sleep can cause me to become unfocused and I will not be able to complete my studying or assignment. What actions can you take to manage and eliminate distractions? The actions that I take to manage and eliminate my distractions are making sure that I get enough sleep the night before, eating dinner before I start to study, turning my ringer off on my phone, spend time with the kids before I study and recording or just missing my TV shows. 4. How will you apply your personal learning style? How does your personal Learning style affect your...
Words: 455 - Pages: 2
...to personal and career success. (Meyer, 2014) As healthcare providers, it is important to understand the keys to be effective communicators, to engage consumers to communicate, and to realize the differences that cultural backgrounds play in our communication. Communication Basics There are several keys to be an effective communicator. The first is to know what you want to say. Begin by a personal understanding of the message that needs to be conveyed. Understanding what needs to be said and taking a moment to adequately prepare what needs to be said will ensure the message will come across clear and concise to the recipient of the message. The next step in the communication process is transferring the message via a statement, written or verbal. The message needs to relay the need, idea, purpose, and information that the recipient needs to understand. The importance of making the recipient understand the message is the key difference in whether what you are asking for can be completed or not completed by the recipient. Without proper understanding of the received message, one can be left wondering what exactly was needed or what they were to do with the information. This process can be impacted by many things including generational barriers, distractions, and educational level. Knowing the intended receiver of the message will help avoid these barriers. Obstacles to communication Obstacles to communication do hinder the ability to be an effective communicator. Taking...
Words: 1013 - Pages: 5
...How to Select Music for Studying : 10 Tips It is said that to study it’s necessary to have a quiet environment without distractions. However, for some, studying in a quiet environment can backfire. This ‘quiet environment’ can make you end up fighting boredom and succumbing to the allure of sleeping at your desk! This is why the importance of choosing the right music for studying can’t be underestimated. Although some studies say that listening to music while you study isn’t good, for many people it’s vital. It’s calms them down, which can lead to productive studying. Music can also help elevate your mood and motivate you to study longer. The real challenge is to select the right music for studying. The wrong type of study music may end up distracting you from your study. So today we are going to offer some tips and ideas on how to pick the best study music for you! 10 Tips: How to Choose Your Music for Studying Tip # 1 Classical music is peaceful and harmonious making it one of the best options to listen to when studying. Tip # 2 It seems that there is evidence that Mozart improves mental performance. They call it the “Mozart Effect.” Tip # 3 Listen to ambient instrumental music. This type of music is more modern than classical and has a similar effect. I always find that movie soundtracks are quite good. Tip # 4 Listen to sounds of nature such as rain, waves, jungles or animals while studying. While this is not exactly music it is relaxing and you will feel like...
Words: 603 - Pages: 3