The Mozart Effect: Evidence for the Arousal Hypothesis

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of music listening for performance on a 25-question portion of the analytical section of the Graduate Record Exam by 72 undergraduate students (M age 21.9 yr.). Five levels of an auditory condition were based on Mozart Piano Sonata No. 3 (K. 281), Movement I (Allegro); a rhythm excerpt; a melody excerpt; traffic sounds; and silence. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the stimuli. After a 5-min., 43-sec. (length of the first Allegro movement) listening period, participants answered the questions. Analysis indicated participants achieved significantly higher mean scores after all auditory conditions than those in the silent condition. No statistically significant pairwise mean difference appeared between scores for the auditory conditions. Findings were interpreted in terms of an arousal framework, suggesting the higher means in all auditory conditions may reflect immediate exposure to auditory stimuli.

Effectiveness of Music Therapy for Alleviating Pain During Haemodialysis Access Cannulation for Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis: A Multi-facility, Single-blind, Randomised Controlled Trial

“…We will be using Mozart's Sonata for 2 pianos in D major, K.448. This piece has been used in various studies assessing the effects of music therapy [46,[82][83][84]. Some studies suggest that using each patient's favourite music is more effective than using one type of music [30].…”

An Examination of an Enhancing Effect of Music on Attentional Abilities in Older Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…Replicating the current study while manipulating the presentation time of music would be useful in further addressing this issue. This potential distracting effect of music may be limited to certain types of tasks, such as those measuring attention, as multiple studies have found enhancing effects of music on cognitive tasks administered after the presentation of music (e.g., Rauscher, et al, 1993; 1995; Roth & Smith, 2008). Alternate explanations, such as the arousal hypothesis, might account for the findings in these studies.…”

“…A meta-analysis of studies looking at the influence of music on cognition by Chabris (1999) cast further doubt on the reliability and generalizability of the phenomenon, as well as on the theoretical explanation for the Mozart effect as put forward by Rauscher, et al (1995). Multiple subsequent studies have supported the hypothesis that an enhancing effect of music on cognitive performance is modulated by an enhancement of arousal (e.g., Thompson, Schellenberg, & Husain, 2001; Roth & Smith, 2008). …”

Fractality of sensations and the brain health: the theory linking neurodegenerative disorder with distortion of spatial and temporal scale-invariance and fractal complexity of the visible world

“…For over two decades, numerous studies of “Mozart Effect” have been carried out, which confirmed or refuted increased intelligence while listening to music by Mozart. These studies reported a temporary increase in cognitive skills, or could not find a statistically significant “Mozart effect” ( Allen and Blascovich, 1994 ; Roth and Smith, 2008 ). So, the high-quality evidence that would satisfy the requirements according to GRADE guidelines is not yet available ( Balshem et al, 2011 ).…”

“… Rauscher et al (1995) hypothesized that the effect of music on intelligence can be explained by the fact that the hearing of complex music excites cortical firing patterns, which are similar to those used in spatial reasoning. Other hypotheses were also proposed for an explanation of this effect of Mozart music ( Roth and Smith, 2008 ). For over two decades, numerous studies of “Mozart Effect” have been carried out, which confirmed or refuted increased intelligence while listening to music by Mozart.…”