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The relationship between music and the brain
Psychology is on the mozart effect
The relationship between music and the brain
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Does musical training make children more intelligent? This is a question that has been researched over time, and after constant study, the consensus answer is ¨yes.¨ While this research has taken place, it has been discovered that musical training molds the brain. This not only benefits kid´s analytical and literacy skills but also their mathematical skills. Additionally, musical training can help children express their emotions. These things can make children more successful in their classroom and in daily life.
Researchers have found that musical training can shape and mold children's brains. Different regions of the brain work together in harmony to produce music; because of this, brain activity and brain volume increase. Brain scans
If a child plays an instrument, they begin to comprehend sounds that, in normal circumstances, they would not be able to hear. Children also develop a ¨neurophysiological distinction¨ between exclusive sounds that assist in literacy. Because of this, kids who attend music classes show improvements in how they process speech and have higher reading test scores than their peers who are not involved in music activities. Even though some people believe in the ¨Mozart Effect¨ (believing that listening to Mozart makes you more intelligent), Nina Kraus, Northwestern University´s Auditory Neuroscience director, says she sees no changes analytically in kids who just listen to music and do not have any musical background. However, a recent study from Northwestern University claims that, ¨in order to fully reap the cognitive benefits of a music class, kids cannot just sit there and let the sound of music wash over them. They have to be actively engaged in the music and participate in the class.¨ This study shows that playing a musical instrument can help improve kids´ overall literacy skills and make them more successful
In fact, famous scientists, like Albert Einstein, used to play instruments to calm their thoughts when struggling with a math problem. According to Brain Balance Achievement Centers, ¨studies show that children who play musical instruments are able to complete complex mathematical problems better than peers who do not play instruments.¨ As a matter of fact, sheet music is closely related to math. For example, in order to read music, you must be able to count beats and learn time signature that is given in fractions. While performing this music, it strengthens the section of the brain that is used when solving math problems. This can increase children's scores on the mathematical portion of the ACT or SAT test when they get into high school (¨Music and
The Mozart Effect Resource Centre website, music educator Don Campbell made the claim that “classical music has a powerful effect on the intellectual and creative development of children from the very youngest of ages.” (Campbell, n.d.). To critically evaluate this claim a number of sources have been analysed. Through this analysis it was found that the claim cannot be supported by reliable empirical research and that classical music only produces short-term cognitive enhancement. This effect can be achieved by listening to any type of music. The first main theme found in the literature was that listening to classical music such as Mozart produced only short term increased cognitive abilities and did not aid the intellectual development of children. Secondly it was found that much of the testing on the topic was not reliable, contained many uncontrolled variables and there was little information relating to babies directly. Finally, many sources corroborated to agree that the same affect could be yielded from other types of music such as rock and pop.
There is limited literature centered on an infant age group to support the notion that babies will become smarter through exposure to Mozart’s symphonies. Rauscher, Shaw and Ky (1993) devised an experiment initiating the theory now known as the ‘Mozart Effect’. The study examined the possible effect the exposure to three differing conditions; silence, a relaxation tape and a Mozart piece had on college student’s ability to perform spatial tasks, and hence the effect on their spatial IQ scores (Rauscher et al. 1993). Rauscher et al. (1993) concluded there was an increase in these scores for studen...
Don Campbell (n.d.), from the Mozart Effect Resource Centre, claims that studies show that classical music has a strong effect on the intellectual development of children from the youngest of ages. Due to the inconsistency between the mixed reviews of research and Campbell’s claim, it is essential to look deeper into the research done on this topic to discover whether Campbell’s claim is accurate.
Personally, I have found that listening to music has been very beneficial to my educational experience. It has helped me immensely whilst studying subjects such as Math and English. For instance, last year in my Creative Writing class, we were assigned the task of writing a script for a play. The teacher was reluctant to grant us access to our music, but with promises of good behavior from the students, she eventually capitulated to our requests. Not thinking much about it at the time, I popped in my earbuds, put my playlist on shuffle, and began to write. By the end of the class period, I had come close to completing my task, and when
While it is true that physical activity is highly beneficial not only for us physically, but also for us mentally, learning to play an instrument benefits us in countless ways. There was a study done that showed increased executive function when individuals exercised. An article discussing the study defined executive function as, “skills important for planning and organizing, focusing on schoolwork, resisting impulses, self-monitoring and using strategies to achieve goals” (Hellmich 4d). Therefore, evidence shows, and I highly agree, that physical activity is beneficial. But music is equally, if not more advantageous than physical activity. Physicist Gordon Shaw and psychologist Frances Rauscher gathered together a team of neurobiologists, mathematicians, educators and musicians at the University of California in order to research the relationship between music education and cognitive abilities. According to an article in the New York Amsterdam
Many people do not realize the positive effect that popular music has on children. At a young age one of the breakthroughs for children is music’s benefit for language development. According to the Children’s Music Workshop, the effect of music education on language development can be seen in the brain. Studies have indicated that musical training develops the left side of the brain known to be involved in processing language and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways. The relation between both music and language development can also have advantages children. Listening to music can also improve children test scores and IQ levels. Dr. Schellenberg found that a small increase in the IQs of six year olds who were given weekly vocal and piano lessons. This leads to the fact that music is very helpful when it comes to education. Professor Christopher Johnson revealed that students in elementary schools with better music education programs sc...
The Mozart effect is a phenomena whereby listening to ten minutes of Mozart’s music, a person’s spatial IQ is boosted by 8-9 points (on the Stanford-Binet IQ Scale), in comparison to listening to ten minutes of a relaxation tape or silence (Rauscher, Shaw and Ky, 1993). This literature review critically assesses the key works and concepts concerning the Mozart effect, specifically its methodologies, its limits, and finally, alternative theories. While some academics argue that ‘listening to Mozart makes babies smarter’ is a valid claim (___,__;____,__), others denounce it (___,__;___,__). While the Mozart effect does show temporarily increased spatial IQ, it does not support the claim that ‘listening to Mozart makes babies smarter’. When the term ‘smarter’ is used throughout this literature review, it refers to the overall cognitive function of the person, not just a specific domain (such as spatial reasoning). Similarly, when the term ‘babies’ is used, it refers to infants in the early developmental stages. A wide range of sources, such as journal articles, research papers, and a meta-analysis, will be critically reviewed to provide support for the claim that listening to Mozart does not make babies smarter.
There have been many studies done to find how music influences a child’s development. The College Entrance Examination Board discovered that students who took music appreciation classes had higher verbal and math scores than those who did not take the classes. (Stephens 2003) The U.S. Department of Education found that in 25,000 secondary schools, students who were highly involved in the music program did much better in math than any other students. (Stephens 2003) These studies and more have found that involvement in music increases chi...
Exposer to music is crucial to young children’s brain development. Not only does it develop otherwise unused areas of the brain, like the auditory cortex, it increases children's future intellectual enjoyment level (Matter). Music at an early age enhances sensitivity to sound and pitch, which can lead to better phonological and reading skills (Moreira). Without a music program in schools students do not get the full exposure to music and music theory that is needed for brain development.
As time goes on and technological capabilities increase, so too will knowledge of how music affects our brains. Scientists will be able to discover the full potency of the effects of music on our psyche, and how improvisation and creativity in music affect the brain along with immoral lyrics in certain music. Understanding this subject is relevant to becoming and better musician, student, and teacher.
The idea of the Mozart effect began in 1993 with a study conducted by Rauscher, Shaw & Ky. This study involved 36 university students taking three different IQ spatial reasoning tasks and for each test used either Mozart’s sonata for two pianos in D major and relaxation music was played, silence was also used. The results of this experiment showed that students who had listened to the music of Mozart had better results for the spacial reasoning tests in comparison to silence or relaxation music. The results also showed that the impact of Mozart’s music was only temporary and only lasted for 10-15 minutes. Overall this study was very basic and had numerous flaws such as the sample size and also the variety of tests used to look at the impact of music (Rauscher, Shaw & Ky, 1993). In 1997 Don Campbell’s book The Mozart effect popularised the claim that music makes children smarter. This book created a public interest in music and brain development. The book uses Rauscher’s experiment as an example of what Mozart’s music can do which in this experiment shows a temporary increase in spatial reasoning, this however was misinterpreted by the public as an increase in IQ. The popularisation of the...
Schlaug, Gottfried, Andrea Norton, Kate Overy, and Ellen Winner. Effects of Music Training on the Child’s Brain. The Musician's Brain. New York Academy Of Sciences, 2005. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. .
Children love music and recognize it very early in life. Mothers singing lullabies to her newborn baby, toddlers banging on a pot in the kitchen, preschoolers singing their favorite nursery rhyme, music is an important part of a child’s life. Music does many things, it can bring back a memory or a feeling, it can sooth and relax, and it teaches. Music also teaches children; Language, listening skills, and communication to name a few of the concepts children learn through music. "Scientists are confirming what teachers have long suspected: Music not only touches people's souls, it also shapes growing minds. When children sing or play music they become better readers, thinkers and learners. The more we discover about how the brain works, the more we recognize how crucial music is to children's learning." Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer, Ph.D., a psychoanalyst at the University of California, Berkeley.
Playing a musical instrument as a hobby, boost the memory. It makes use of both parts of the brain, thus boosts memory power. Research shows that playing a musical instrument at an early age can improve learning ability and memory by arousing different patterns of the brain development. It is also linked to higher IQ levels and physical growth of certain parts of brain. Many people lose touch with their creative side. Playing a musical instrument as a hobby can foster that creativity, especially when you reach advanced levels. This is because, playing the instruments, positively affects, mental, cognitive, emotional abilities and stimulates the b...
Learning to play any musical instrument, benefits an individual in all aspects of life, whether it 's academically, socially, physically, or emotionally. Instruments that were created to make musical sounds are categorized into five main groups; strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and keyboards. And all it takes is dedication and admiration in order to successfully learn how to play an instrument. I believe that musicians, those who have musical ability, have an advantage over other individuals who don 't have the knowledge to play an instrument. Becoming a musician will also open up so many opportunities that are undeniably gratifying.