The Effect of Music on Performance of a Task

The Effect of Music on Performance of a Task

Abstract

In order to investigate whether music affected performance of a task,

and experimental technique was used, variables were manipulated and

data recorded.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether different music

styles affected the performance of a task. It was a novel experiment,

only loosely based on previous research dating back to the 19th

century.

The method involved three groups of participants undertaking a test

(solving thirty anagrams). One group had fast music in the background,

one had slow music and the third performed it in silence. The

participants were primarily selected via a systematic sample, but this

would have been changed to an opportunity sample had some participants

not turned up.

It was hypothesised that there would be significant differences

between a) fast and slow music, b) fast and no music and c) slow and

no music.

A two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test at a significance level of p=0.05

revealed that all three alternative hypotheses were accepted and null

hypotheses rejected.

The data collected illustrated that having slow music playing in the

background improved performance of the task compared to performing it

in silence, while fast music worsened performance.

The implications of this study, its limitations and suggestions of

follow up studies will be further discussed.

Contents

Introduction

Social influence describes how other people around us can influence

our actions. It is especially relevant in situations where groups of

people are performing a task together, as discovered by Triplett in

one of the ...

... middle of paper ...

... Observed value of U = 30

Critical value of U = 23 at a significance level of p? 0.05 and a

two-tailed test. Therefore, as 30> 23 the null hypothesis is

rejected.

Appendix VI - Mann Whitney U Test for Hypothesis Two

U = 10 x 10 + 10 (10 + 1)

2 - 111.5 = 43.5 U = 43.5

U' = 10 x 10 - 43.5 = 56.5 U' = 56.5

Observed value of U = 43.5

Critical value of U = 23 at a significance level of p?0.05 and a

two-tailed test. Therefore, as 43.5> 23 the null hypothesis is

rejected.

Appendix VII - Mann Whitney U Test For Hypothesis Three

U = 10 x 10 + 10 (10 + 1)

2 - 115.5 = 39.5 U = 39.5

U' = 10 x 10 - 39.5 = 60.5 U' = 60.5

Observed value of U = 39.5

Critical value of U = 23 at a significance level of p? 0.05 and a

two-tailed test. Therefore, as 39.5> 23 the null hypothesis is

rejected.