Music and Studying

[Hockey Playa]

Couldn't really find any articles on google, whether studying with music is detrimental or helpful. Personally i switch back and forth, but im still not sure which i prefer. What do you guys think? Does listening to music in the background while studying help you?

 

[kabatura]

There might be some studies somewhere but Id say whatever works best for you. If listening to music keeps you more focused do it. I think that is the most important thing.

The "Mozart Effect" you may have heard of. Stuff like if you listen to Mozart while sleeping you get smarter. Theres just nothing in stone about that stuff and your not going to listen to music while sleeping or studying and magically become a genius. There's my two cents.

 

[oakraiderz2]

It kinda depends on attention. Divided attention usually has an adverse effect regardless the activity. I would say you would be better off, more attentive, without music, but if you have done it habitually for a while it may not distract you. I used to study with music and , i stopped currently and noticed a pretty dramatic difference in the amount of attention i pay, the amount of information i retain, and how often i get distracted.

 

[Magma]

I don't have the studies readily available, however as an educator, I can say that it doesn't matter if you do/do not listen to music when you study. What is important is the congruency of the state in which you are being examined as compared to the state in which you studied. If you listen to music when you study, you should listen to it when you test (preferably the same music) and vice versa. I make an attempt to cater to my students when appropriate, but the bottom line is that no one can agree on what music to listen to while testing. Furthermore, iPods are out of the question because of school rules and the obvious cheating implications. Since most testing environments will be quiet affairs, I suggest you study with as little noise interference as possible. Like I said, I don't have the names and authors of the studies, but this information was relayed to me by a chem professor in undergrad and it stuck with me.

 

[oakraiderz2]

I I can say that it doesn't matter if you do/do not listen to music when you study. What is important is the congruency of the state in which you are being examined as compared to the state in which you studied.

Thats a pretty big claim to make. Maybe music such as betoveen or motzart wont interfere with the studying process, but anything with words will have an effect. You cant sit up here and say music doesnt effect studying, unless you believe having a tv on or being in a room with a person talking wont have and adverse effect either. Just because youre "ignoring" the other stimuli doesnt mean that its not seaping through the attention filter and being processed. Trying to read and process information through reading it, with the addition of someone talking, WILL effect your attention and how much information you retain.

 

[Magma]

Thats a pretty big claim to make. Maybe music such as betoveen or motzart wont interfere with the studying process, but anything with words will have an effect. You cant sit up here and say music doesnt effect studying, unless you believe having a tv on or being in a room with a person talking wont have and adverse effect either. Just because youre "ignoring" the other stimuli doesnt mean that its not seaping through the attention filter and being processed. Trying to read and process information through reading it, with the addition of someone talking, WILL effect your attention and how much information you retain.

I have a Master's degree in Education. From my studies, I know that congruent mental state is a primary factor in memory recall. If a kid is getting ripped while he studies, then he needs to be in that same state when he is ready for recall (exam). Do I advocate for this pattern of study? Of course not. Likewise, if a student requires complete silence for comprehension, then that student will require complete silence when he needs to recall that information. Each individual needs to figure out what works best for THEM. I used to know a woman in undergrad that would study while she tended bar at a little place near where I lived. I couldn't have created a worse study environment if I tried. However, she got good grades and tested well. I myself require utter and complete silence, to the point of wearing ear plugs at times.

The introduction of external stimuli MAY affect comprehension in SOME people. On that you are correct. However, my argument is this: creating an atmosphere during recall (testing) that is congruent to the environment created while studying for comprehension should remain the primary concern.

 

[oakraiderz2]

I have a Master's degree in Education. From my studies, I know that congruent mental state is a primary factor in memory recall. If a kid is getting ripped while he studies, then he needs to be in that same state when he is ready for recall (exam). Do I advocate for this pattern of study? Of course not. Likewise, if a student requires complete silence for comprehension, then that student will require complete silence when he needs to recall that information. Each individual needs to figure out what works best for THEM. I used to know a woman in undergrad that would study while she tended bar at a little place near where I lived. I couldn't have created a worse study environment if I tried. However, she got good grades and tested well. I myself require utter and complete silence, to the point of wearing ear plugs at times.

The introduction of external stimuli MAY affect comprehension in SOME people. On that you are correct. However, my argument is this: creating an atmosphere during recall (testing) that is congruent to the environment created while studying for comprehension should remain the primary concern.

I agree that context and mood dependency are essential parts of memory recall. The point im trying to make regards the issue of attention. Try reading or studying while someone is in the room talking. Of course interference is going to occur, resulting in a lack of attention to the material being studied. The women you knew isnt quite in the same situation. If she tried to hold a conversation while studying, the resulsts wouldnt have been the same, if i had to guess. Maybe she had experience with blocking out the external stimuli, but i would guess that she stopped studying when she had to tend to a customer. Listening to rap, rock or whatever song, while repeating a definition will cause interference.

Im not arguing with you, i just find this stuff interesting (im a psych major) and discussing it is entertaining. State congruency is an important factor for recall, but i believe a more important factor is the process of encoding. Memory recall is much better when words are processed more deeply, opposed to sematics and physical properties. Creating stores out of words or whatever makes recall more possible.

To the OP: I would suggest reading or doing whatever without music for a little while, then throw some music on and see how you respond.

 

[Magma]

Im not arguing with you, i just find this stuff interesting (im a psych major) and discussing it is entertaining.

I know you're not arguing, and I feel the same way. I discuss these same concepts with my students regarding positive study habits. I tell them, "Turn the TV off! Turn the CD player off!" Those things really do interfere with comprehension. I would further agree in the advice you provide to the OP.

 

[Rebound Material]

The "Mozart Effect"

:rockon: