#Non lyrical music series

In 2002, a group of children between the ages of seven and ten were exposed to soothing music as they took a series of arithmetic and memory tests. They then took a second round of tests while listening to aggressive music, and concluded with a final round in complete silence. Lyrics aside, music can also play a role in cognitive function based on its tone. Iman Ghosh, a freshman at Knox College, agrees: “I listen to electronic music like techno, sometimes dubstep, but I only listen to music that is without words and singing, because if there’s words and singing I can’t concentrate.”

The direct impact of lyrics shifts from one individual to another, however, posing the greatest threat on introverts according to a 1997 study conducted by Anna Bradley and Adrian Furnham of University College London. Morris of Middle Tennessee State University recently conducted a study on music’s effects on the brain, finding that students who listened to their preferred genre of lyrical music during test taking did not score as highly as students who listened to “sedative” music. Lyrics, particularly those of a familiar and preferred song, are typically distracting as they can incite certain emotions and memories. But fewer are aware of just how music impacts cognition, or merely its ability to stimulate both the left and right sides of the brain.Ĭarol A. The notion that music generally enhances cognitive function and productivity is not news to most.

Non lyrical music