Thread: Does listing to music help you do better on tests?

Hello I've got some Psychology work that I have to do and I have to gather information on what other researchers have done to answer this question. So if someone could point me to an article that has someone talking about this it would be a great help.

I'm sorry but I don't know anywhere with research

But as far as I know it can help some people it all depends on how people learn or how much they like music XD

But yeah sorry for not having any research

I guess in terms of the types of attention, studying while listening to music would be defined as 'divided attention,' where focus is on two or more seperate stimulus; as opposed to 'selective attention,' which is when most or all of the conscious attention is directed on one particular stimulus.

Selective attention is proven to work more effectively in processing information, in your case, studying, rather than divided attention; studying while listening to music. I read this once in a text book, but I'm sure which one, sorry. :S

Here's the results of a google scholar search on listening to music while studying - nothing exactly like what you're looking for but looks like some good information on what your brain does when you're listening to music and how it affects other things like healing and perception.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl...ng&btnG=Search

Generally listing to the prevailing winds is more effective.

There has been research done on the Mozart effect which claims that listening to music for ten minutes prior to taking a spatial reasoning test scored higher, but the effect does not last. And for some reason, only Mozart's music seemed to have an effect.
Just search that and check "A User's Guide to the Brain" by John J. Ratey it talks about the effect of music on infants and adults

Your question is very general.

It depends on the individual in question, the music, when they listen to it, there test taking strategy, etc.

How a person uses music is an important factor.

You might try researching the neurological effects of music and effective test taking strategies.

well it sounds interesting to be studied with the music .... but somehow it doesn't work at all ....music is just a relief of stress and enjoyment while study it generally happens that's why it is said that we can enjoy doing mathematics with listening music .....:P :P just try dat also ........... :wink: :wink: :wink:

if during a test you listen to the music you studied to you should be better at retrieving information from memory. I don't have a citation unfortunately.

Depends.... is someone "singing" the answers to you? (I mean if you're bringing a headset into class before a test...)

lol. well obviously you can't listen to the music as you take the test. but perhaps just before might work. I'm to hazy on the details of the study. It's unfortunate

[disclaimer] I have no actual scientific knowledge about given subject, but only hear say, minor selfobservations and spekulation.

Different music may help you enter different moods, thus different music may compliment different tasks. I belive some music may actually be disturbing to specific things, but may be individually from person to person.

I'v been working with a secretary in a newspaper who previously been working with accountee works, and there music was a good complimentation to the work, where in the secretary work it would pose as a disturbance.

For myself,yes it does.Music cuts out all that is around me,so Its just me and the subject or test I'm working on.This tends to be with with headphones.

Also it seems to help me think faster.I've noticed those who multi-task work better when listning to music....

the effect soundwaves, and precisely arranged audio have on the psyche alternating moods... hmmm?

I have heard that IQs can be increased by listening to some classical music but then I think I heard that was dismissed. I think listening to music could help some people. For example, if one has test anxiety and music calms them down, this could help.
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I'm such a nerd. My professor gave us an essay to write over Christmas Break and I was the only one happy about it.

I have heard a classical form of music called "Baroque" , can actually help you focus while studying.