Music has become a tool for boost up performance during the study. But we have to keep that in mind Not all people respond the same way to auditory stimuli.. In this sense, one must be cautious when studying with or without music, as it will not necessarily work the same way for all of us.
For example, some require a quiet, noise-free environment in order to focus on study topics. Conversely, there are people who improve their retention by using background music while they study.
How can music benefit the study?
The auditory learning style stimulates the areas of the brain predisposed to the acquisition of knowledge. In other words, when we have the possibility of learning through sounds, listening to music is a useful resource. Especially with languages.
Another important aspect to take into consideration is the ability to concentrate. That is, not all people achieve the same level of concentration while studying. It is natural that for some the stimuli of the environment do not represent an interruption, while for others any sound causes deconcentration.
Let’s go through a list of the best ways to take advantage of music during your study hours. Considering that every person is different, these benefits are focused on those who demonstrate an auditory learning style AND hyperproxexia.
1. Moderate volume
When music is played at a moderate volume, the brain is able to maintain concentration on the main activity (study). In this case, music produces a relaxing effect which helps maintain continuity. The level of mental exhaustion decreases.
2. Choose classical music
There are studies, such as the one we’ll cite below, that support the benefits of classical music in study. As science promotes classical tunes, it is safe to implement this method and check the results alone.
3. Have a playlist
The ideal is to create a playlist to avoid long breaks. In fact, the less we interrupt the study, the more effective it will be. It is recommended that playlists have a duration of at least 2 continuous hours.
Disadvantages of studying with music
All is not rosy with regards to music and studies. In addition to the benefits we have reviewed, we can also find some disadvantages. In the following list we examine what are the negative aspects of music during the hours of concentration.
1. Diverts the focus of attention
As we already know, not all people are multitaskers. This means that some have to seek out a sound-free environment in order to focus properly on what they need to study. Decidedly, music does not go unnoticed by the brain.
2. Normalize low productivity
When we get used to listening to music while we study, classical conditioning occurs. Summarizing what has been said, study time becomes a conditioned stimulus for melodies. Which means that every time we go to study we feel the need to play background music.
This conditioning affects productivity. On the one hand, because we become addicted to music for studying. On the other, we don’t give the brain a chance to fully focus.
3. Encourage unnecessary contact with devices
It is common for people to listen to music through their mobile devices. For example, it is common to see how some teenagers play songs Youtube through his smartphones, while trying to study. Based on this, it is established that it represents a double distracting factor.
What do the studies show?
One of Education demonstrating the benefits of classical music for the brain was conducted in 2007 by Stanford University. Specifically, the aforementioned research was conducted by the medical school.
The results yielded the following:
- Classical music promotes retention and interpretation of information. The reason is that harmonious melodies at a moderate volume do not prevent people from concentrating but rather have an empowering effect.
- Classical music has a similar effect on the brain as a workout. This means that when we listen to classical music during study time, there is a strengthening in brain areas involving attention, interpretation and anticipation of events.
These findings suggest that people who listen to classical tunes during their study time will perform better in the academic area. The reason for this is that your brain gains the ability to interpret new information better.
A most recent studymade in 2019, he revealed music works as an activator of the neural centers of pleasure. This research reveals that people’s favorite music increases their level of motivation.
How to choose the music to study?
Based on what has been said so far, we can apply some rules to make the choice of music to study. You will need to maintain a moderate volume at all timesso that the sound is not disturbing.
In addition, these effective tips will help us improve our study:
- Consider what science says. The ideal is select a type of music that has been shown to have real benefits for intellectual abilities. This is the case with classical music.
- In some cases the topics of study will not be new, i.e. we will not acquire new information, but will strengthen existing ones. Yes, it is, we can select the music of our favorite genre.
- Avoid selecting music from mobile. Using the phone for audio tracks exposes us to interaction with the mobile devicewhich is counterproductive for concentration.
When is silence preferable?
Despite the benefits that music can offer, It is not a good idea to abuse this resource to study. Either way, anything in excess is harmful. In this case, If we get used to listening to music every time we go to study, we will end up addicted to this system..
We could use music for the advanced stages of the study, when we have already had a first approach to the subject. Instead, silence would be recommended in the initial stages, when we need more awareness.
The post Studying with or without music, what is recommended? first appeared on research-school