Music Test Score Paper
How Different Genres of Music Effect Test Scores
Kathryn E. Baker
Bowling Green High School
Table of Contents
Introduction pg. 3-7
Procedure pg. 7
Results pg. 8
Discussion pg. 8-9
Conclusion pg. 9-10
Acknowledgements pg. 10
References pg. 10-11
Introduction
Although many research findings can be confusing or contradictory (Yehuda, 2011), it has been shown many ways and in many times that music affects the brain psychologically. Elliot, Polman, & McGregor (2011) found that music only has the desired psychological effect 50% of the time. Musical activity requires the use of most regions of your brain and almost every neural subsystem (Levitin, 2006). Hoffman & Lamme (1989) found that it is more helpful to learn with music and information is picked up more easily by the brain. Most times when background music is playing, people hear, but do not listen (Jourdaid, 1997). It is also shown by Jourdaid (1997) that while we hear with our brain stems, we listen with our cerebral cortex. When music is put in the background and we only hear it, the brain doesn’t meet or overcome new perceptual challenges, therefore nothing new is learned (Jourdaid, 1997). It has been proven through different forms of testing that the arts …show more content…
Specific materials were needed to conduct the experiment including; twelve high school students with various backgrounds and study habits, a jazz song (Groove Merchant – Thad Jones & Mel Lewis), a pop song (Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepson), a classical song (Symphony No. 40 – Mozart), a timer, and four math tests. Each of the math tests were similar in that they had addition, subtraction, and multiplication problems which got increasingly harder. Test A was taken in a setting with no music playing. Test B was taken in a setting with jazz music. Test C was taken in a setting with pop music. Test D was taken in a setting with classical
Kathryn E. Baker
Bowling Green High School
Table of Contents
Introduction pg. 3-7
Procedure pg. 7
Results pg. 8
Discussion pg. 8-9
Conclusion pg. 9-10
Acknowledgements pg. 10
References pg. 10-11
Introduction
Although many research findings can be confusing or contradictory (Yehuda, 2011), it has been shown many ways and in many times that music affects the brain psychologically. Elliot, Polman, & McGregor (2011) found that music only has the desired psychological effect 50% of the time. Musical activity requires the use of most regions of your brain and almost every neural subsystem (Levitin, 2006). Hoffman & Lamme (1989) found that it is more helpful to learn with music and information is picked up more easily by the brain. Most times when background music is playing, people hear, but do not listen (Jourdaid, 1997). It is also shown by Jourdaid (1997) that while we hear with our brain stems, we listen with our cerebral cortex. When music is put in the background and we only hear it, the brain doesn’t meet or overcome new perceptual challenges, therefore nothing new is learned (Jourdaid, 1997). It has been proven through different forms of testing that the arts …show more content…
Specific materials were needed to conduct the experiment including; twelve high school students with various backgrounds and study habits, a jazz song (Groove Merchant – Thad Jones & Mel Lewis), a pop song (Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepson), a classical song (Symphony No. 40 – Mozart), a timer, and four math tests. Each of the math tests were similar in that they had addition, subtraction, and multiplication problems which got increasingly harder. Test A was taken in a setting with no music playing. Test B was taken in a setting with jazz music. Test C was taken in a setting with pop music. Test D was taken in a setting with classical