Studying with song: How music can help you learn

Question

The claim that music can aid learning, as presented in the Coppell Student Media article, is only partially supported by scientific research. The effectiveness of music during study sessions depends on a plethora of different factors.​ A study published in The Times found that listening to upbeat instrumental music, or "groovy" music, can enhance cognitive performance and mood. Participants who listened to such music completed tasks 7% faster without compromising accuracy and reported an improved mood. The researchers attributed these benefits to the rhythmic qualities of the music enhancing both mood and mental agility.​ However, other studies do suggest that the impact of background music on learning is influenced by individual differences and the nature of the task. If it's a mindless piece of homework, it's easier to knock it out with some music playing. But if it's an assignment that requires lots of focus and thinking, music can be a distraction. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology indicated that background music's effect on learning outcomes is moderated by the learner's working memory capacity. Specifically, individuals with higher working memory capacity showed improved comprehension when studying with background music, whereas those with lower capacity performed better without it.

Answer 1

The claim that music can aid learning, as presented in the Coppell Student Media article, is only partially supported by scientific research. The effectiveness of music during study sessions depends on a plethora of different factors.​ A study published in The Times found that listening to upbeat instrumental music, or "groovy" music, can enhance cognitive performance and mood. Participants who listened to such music completed tasks 7% faster without compromising accuracy and reported an improved mood. The researchers attributed these benefits to the rhythmic qualities of the music enhancing both mood and mental agility.​ However, other studies do suggest that the impact of background music on learning is influenced by individual differences and the nature of the task. If it's a mindless piece of homework, it's easier to knock it out with some music playing. But if it's an assignment that requires lots of focus and thinking, music can be a distraction. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology indicated that background music's effect on learning outcomes is moderated by the learner's working memory capacity. Specifically, individuals with higher working memory capacity showed improved comprehension when studying with background music, whereas those with lower capacity performed better without it.

Comments

I agree with this perspective. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to whether or no music can help a person study.  For many people, no kind of music would be beneficial to their studying. Like you mentioned, it is ultimately dependent on the nature of the task. Some tasks require less critical thinking, therefore, listening to certain genre's on music can actually help.

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I appreciate this perspective. Mood is extremely important to take into account when talking about production value. Motivation branches from mood and when you mood is down or effected, this could effect your producibility. I also like how you talk about how music isn't for everybody, but people who do listen see results. Nice response!

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This is an interesting claim, because there are so many different genres of music that can effect ones psyche differently. I think it is intriguing how instrumental music improved listeners abilities to complete a task.

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I liked hearing your point of view on how music can effect someones studying performance. I agree that if an assignment requires a lot of thinking and attention, no music or music without words can be helpful and more productive for their outcome. I also agree that everyone is different and music might benefit someone or vise versa. Good Job!

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Music can help, but it really depends on the person and the task. If the work’s simple, music can boost mood and speed, but for harder stuff, it might just get in the way, especially if focus is key. I wouln't listen to music while studying or doing homework because it doesn't help me keep focus I'd prefer a quite space so that also depends on the person as well.

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I agree with your conclusion, whether or not music will be helpful to listen to is highly dependant on the task you are trying to complete

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I think your response is very clear and informative. It does a very good job at explaining the specifics of if music helps you study and makes no large sweeping statements. Explaining the key differences between what actually task you are trying to complete helped create a better understanding of the initial claim.

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I think this is a very fascinating claim, and I agree with this perspective. Music can help, but it also depends on the type of person you are, and what task you are trying to do. You did a good job, and used good credible sources.

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I like the conclusion that you ended off with. Different types of music can definitely improve ones moods or cognitive performance, but that doesn't exactly mean its the case for everyone. Everyone has different abilities and maybe for some they can focus with music and others need silence or find it harder to study with music, as it can seem distracting. I also agree with your statement of it depending on what the task is and trying to complete it.

Answer 2

Looking in an article from the University of Maryland, Phyllis Medina, a program director of psychology, mentioned how it has to be the right choice of music such as instrumental or ambient could block out other distractions, improve concentration, and maintain attention during study sessions. Medina also suggested that instrumental music would be more beneficial because it prevents the one studying, from getting caught up in song lyrics which could also distract studying. Another article from the National University has Dr. Masha Godkin, who was a professor in the Department of Marriage and Family Sciences, saying that music helps activate both the left and right hemisphere at the brain at the same time. This is beneficial because when both sides of the brain are activated, it can maximize learning and memory. It is also recommended that the music has to be the right kind, not music that will put you to sleep, but also not music that is overly upbeat and encourages you to dance or move. Those things would be a distraction. Ultimately, I believe that this is a little misleading, music is so different from genre to genre, and not everyone operates or performs better with music. It has to be a certain type of music and even then, not everyone is a fan of ambient or instrumental music and may prefer studying in silence. Music without words is always the recommended method, for example in another article from Texas A&M University, ” cognitive psychologist Brian Anderson said. “So when you’re doing two things at the same time, like studying and listening to music, and one of the things requires cognitive effort, there will be a cost to how much information you can retain doing both activities.” It is essentially multitasking which not everyone is good at.

https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/

 https://www.umgc.edu/blog/how-music-can-help-you-study

https://liberalarts.tamu.edu/blog/2021/03/10/does-listening-to-music-really-help-you-study/

Comments

Thank you for sharing such relative thoughts. I also agree that it fully depends on the music we listen to. Obviously, some hard rock would act as a distraction to learning worse then classical music would be. I also agree that everyone is different, which is important to account when discussing the effectiveness of music in a academic environment. You arose relevant and consistent information about the advantages and disadvantages of music, which I appreciate. Nice response!

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I like how you pointed out that it really depends on the person and the kind of music. It’s true — not all music helps, and sometimes it can actually make it harder to focus, especially if the song has words or if the task is hard. And also the choices of music you choose may affect the studying, maybe hard rock definitely don't go well with studying.

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Thanks for making such a well rounded fact check. You use various, reputable sources to back your opinion and did it effectively. I also agree with the statement that it depends on what music you listen to and how it varies person to person. I found it interesting to learn about how specific genres of music can activate certain parts of your brain positively when doing school work. All in all, thank you for your fact check and would love to learn more about this topic in the future.

Answer 3

Personally, certain music allows me focus on my work more effectively then without music at all. According to an article from National University, there is research that shows the positives that music can bring to the learning environment. It says that scientifically, "music activated both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory". Now, it is also proven that choosing the right music is extremely beneficial and certain music can be distracting to learning. With all that being said, it can be said and proven that listening to music in a learning environment can extremely beneficial to brain function and high-pressure situations like when taking exams or writing essays.

https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/

Comments

I like how you connected this claim to your own learning experience. I also appreciated how you included a good reputable source and explained why music can be good. The only thing I believe could make this even stronger is including exactly what type of music helps the brain learn, so maybe providing genres. This way, people can know the type of music to choose when studying! Overall, a strong response.

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I agree that listening to music is helpful to the brain during stressful times, and I think many people would agree that it helps them focus. You list a source, but it would be helpful to specify what type of music activates both hemispheres. Could someone argue that different individuals might have the opposite reaction to that type of music?

Answer 4

The claim from Coppell Student Media that music can aid learning is partially supported by scientific research. While some studies suggest that listening to music—particularly upbeat instrumental or "groovy" music—can improve cognitive performance and mood, the overall effectiveness of music during studying depends on various factors. A study reported in The Times, based on research published in PLOS ONE, found that participants who listened to upbeat instrumental music completed tasks 7% faster without sacrificing accuracy and also experienced a better mood. These effects were attributed to the rhythmic qualities of the music, which seemed to enhance mental agility. However, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology indicated that the impact of background music on learning outcomes varies depending on individual working memory capacity. People with higher working memory performed better with background music, while those with lower capacity did worse. This supports the idea that while music can be helpful for some, it can be distracting for others—especially when the task at hand requires intense focus. The Coppell Student Media article responsibly acknowledges this nuance, making the claim a fair but limited interpretation of the scientific evidence.

Sources:

• The Times article on groovy music and cognitive performance

• Frontiers in Psychology study on working memory and music

• Original article from Coppell Student Media

Comments

I think you did a really good job at showing the claim from Coppell Student Media is mostly true but needs some extra details. I like how you explained that music can help some people but can hurt others depending on their memory. Maybe it would make your fact check even better if you also talked about the type of task that matters too, like, it’s easier to listen to music when doing something simple, but harder when you need to really focus for things like reading or writing.

Answer 5

I like your clear communication with the audience that the claim is only partly backed by scientific evidence. It would be very easy to frame such a statement in a way that reads as if the claim is 100% true, but the transparency is incredibly appreciated by the average curious reader. The introduction of confounding variables that may affect the data was very clear in your response and allowed me to understand both sides of the possible debate regarding background music's effect on productivity academically. Great insight!

Answer 6

Music can help some people when studying so its not completely false, but its effectiveness depends on the individual and the task they’re working on. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that people with stronger working memory were able to perform better when they studied with background music. However, those with lower working memory tended to focus better and retain more information when they studied in silence. This shows that music might be useful for some, but for others, it could be a distraction, especially when the task requires deep concentration. Also to personal factors, the type of music matters. Upbeat or instrumental music might help improve mood and speed up work on simple tasks, but it can get in the way of more complicated assignments. When studying, music without lyrics is often recommended, as lyrics can take up cognitive resources and make it harder to focus. So, while music can sometimes enhance studying, it isn’t always the best choice for everyone, and its effects vary depending on the individual and the type of task at hand.

source

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01902/full?

Answer 7

I have found this topic interesting for years. I took a psychology class in high school and my teacher taught us about this, then after attending classes at a university I heard the claim again and wanted to look into it. according to this article from Florida National University it is in fact true. it is said that listening to the same type of music while studying, doing homework or even taking a test on the same subject can improve upon memory in the topic. I have also heard that if you listen to different genres for different subjects it help your brain categorize the things your should be remembering. the article I read says, "Studies have shown that music produces several positive effects on a human’s body and brain. Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory." It also adds the claims that listening to music while studying improves stress, reduces test anxiety and improves test performance!

Answer 8

I think certain types of music can definitely help an individual study and is beneficial to their learning. The source that you listed above, The Times, conducted an experiment in which the participants were split into four groups and each group was exposed to a different type of music. This research is a reliable source for your information since these are people's person experiences and was conducted by researchers. This helps the researchers get a better understanding of how different kinds of music affect people's focus. With the information that they received, they are able to come to a conclusion. The Times is a very respected news outlet and is reported to have great quality research and limited bias. However, there are important aspects to consider when choosing what music to listen to. According to National University, classical music can help you feel productive and motivated and it doesn't have any lyrics so you have less of chance of getting distracted by the words. “Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory,” says Dr. Masha Godkin..." When deciding what music to listen to, you should consider the tempo of the music, sound control, and making sure it's something you like. The National University has received awards and recognition by the WASC and WSCUC for its high quality of education. 

Source: https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/

Comments

I think you did a great job in finding scientific evidence, especially with the quote from Dr.Godkin. One thing that you could have talked about to strengthen your fact check by talking about how controlled the experiment from The Times if they mentioned it at all. Also because you talked about the lyrics, maybe you could compare different genres and how that affects studying with music.

Answer 9

The belief that music helps learning is popular, but scientific research offers a more nuanced perspective. While personal accounts and some studies suggest benefits, the effectiveness of music during study depends on several factors. A study in PLOS One found that upbeat instrumental "work flow" music improved mood and task speed by 7% without losing accuracy. This aligns with the arousal-mood theory, where upbeat music can increase positive feelings and alertness. However, the impact of music tempo isn't always positive. Research in Frontiers in Psychology highlights that individual differences, like working memory capacity plays a crucial role. Students with higher capacity showed better comprehension with background music, while those with lower capacity performed better in silence. Personality traits and learning styles also influence how music affects learning. The type of task is another important factor. Background music may help with low-demand tasks but can worsen more complex ones requiring focus. Lyrics in music generally impede verbal tasks , while instrumental music has a less clear impact. Classical, ambient, and nature sounds are often recommended for focus. 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0316047

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5671572/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Answer 10

As the Coppell Student Media says, the effectiveness of music during study sessions depends on the person. The University of Maryland also claims that although students can benefit from music to help their academic performance, they need to find proper music to help them concentrate on their studies, recommending instrumental and ambient music. And this claim is the same as this article in the Coppell Student Media, in that they acknowledge that music is effective for study and then argue that not all types of music are applicable to have the effect. 

https://www.umgc.edu/blog/how-music-can-help-you-study