The Affect of Music on Concentration

By: Ariana Peal and Claudia Cervantes Morin

Table of Contents
Abstract
page- 3

Introduction
page- 4

Lab Report
page- 5 & 6

Research Paper and Bibliography

page- 7 & 8

Acknowledgments
page- 9

Abstract
The Affect of Music on Concentration
Ariana Peal and Claudia Cervantes Morin
Revere High school
Human Studies
Grade: 9 Ages: 14 4 and 15
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to find how music affects a humans concentration and
whether it is a positive affect or a negative affect, depending on the music. Homework for
many people can be uninteresting, and hard to focus on and music could possibly be a
way to help get it done quickly and affectively, depending on whether or not they re
listening to classical, rock, or no music.
Procedure
First we gathered 10 people to test, five girls and five boys, all around the same age
group. After gathering people, we made the tests for the groups in two different subjects,
math and english. We then tested each of the ten people, for ten minutes on each test,
listening to either no music, rock music, or classical music. Each test had different
questions depending on the music but were in the same subject. Lastly after all the tests
were complete we found our results by finding the average times that it took for the
people to complete the tests and found the average grade that each test got depending on
the music that was listened to.
Results and Conclusions
In conclusion, our hypothesis was supported, showing that classical music is best suited
for listening to when completing homework or paperwork of some kind. It was also
shown in our experiments that compared to no music, it is best to listen to music in
general because it positively affects the work ethic and productivity. Out of our six
different tests, 2 of which were no music, only once was a music affected average lower
than no music at all (Math test-rock-average). Because our hypothesis was supported it is
shown that, working while listening to music can affect your productivity in a possible
way, due to the fact that most noise is drowned our keeping your focus remained on the
task, and the music best suited for better productivity would be classical music. classical
music had the higher time average, but the ultimate higher grade.

Introduction
There are a wide variety of music that range from complex classical symphonies to
hard metal rock. The origins of the word music comes from the greek goddesses called
"muses" who were of the arts and sciences. Music over time, has been a social activity,
whether it is hanging with friends performing, and even expressing and emotion or story.
In relation to our experiment, the brain, is the bodies most complicated organ that is most
being used/affected in our experiment.
The brain is made up of two main types of cells, neurons and glial cells, and theses
cells are what help control everything within our bodies. There are. four main parts of the
brain, the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe and the occipital lobe. When
listening to music we are using/working the cells within the temporal lobe. These cells
are what help us actually hear and process what we are listening to. While being tested,
because we are working with music and answering questions we are using another part of
the brain, the frontal lobe; which deals with planning, reasoning, and problem solving.
This form of multitasking can either help or ruin what we are doing. So that is what we
tested.
The Beta waves are what is associated with our concentration, our problem solving,
our walking, talking, listening, etc. These Beta waves are what is stimulated when
listening to music while working. It can affect our analysis and thought process. These
Beta waves happen in the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe part of the brain. Based on
other experiments, their results were that music does affect a workers ability. When there
are no lyrics in a song, for example classical or instrumental music, a workers ability is at
a higher point because there is no music being used as a distraction. The likelihood of
someone getting distracted with is high, so less attention is being paid to the work at
hand.
The purpose of our experiment is to test what so many others have tested before; we
are testing whether or not certain types of music have a positive (or negative) affect on a
humans concentration. We are testing three groups, no music, rock music, and classical
music, with ten people. Based on our research from of music, the brain, and past
experiments we hypothesize that music has a positive affect on concentration, which
would result in better productivity. This is because, music stimulates more parts of the
brain. So when music is being played, parts of our brain are being activated helping us
focus, on the certain tasks at hand because more "brain power" is being used. If rock
music is played to the test subject while working on a series of problems, the overall
outcome will be better than no music or classical music because rock music is more
responsive, whereas classical and no music is quiet and can often cause a slower
response.

Lab Report
Risks and safety: there are no dangers in listening to music and testing concentration
Purpose
The purpose of our experiment is to find how music affects a humans concentration? and
whether it is a positive affect or a negative affect.
Hypothesis
Based on our studies we hypothesize that music has a positive affect on concentration,
which would result in better productivity. This is because, music stimulates more parts of
the brain. So when music is being played, parts of our brain are being activated helping
us concentrate more, on the certain tasks at hand. If classical music is played to the test
subject while working on a series of problems, the overall outcome will be better than no
music or rock music because although rock music is more responsive, the lyrics/words
draw away attention from the task so less work is being done. And compared to no music,
classical music drowns our all other sources of sound and distractions allowing for better
focus and better work being done.
Materials
- 10 people
- 3 different math tests
- 3 different English tests
- rock music
- classical music
- headphones
Procedure
1) First we got 10 people to test our experiment
2) Then we created 3 different types of math tests, one for each test group, and three
english tests, on for each test group
3) each person will be tested on 2 subjects, math and english, in three different groups,
rock music classical music and no music at all
4) Each person was tested for ten minutes to complete each of the tests listening to the
different kinds of music or no music
5) Grade the tests, find out the average grade and the average time in each of the test
groups
6) compare results to come up with a conclusion
Variables
Independent variable: The different types of music
Dependent variable: The resulting test scores
Controls/Constants: The music, the people, and the types of tests
Data

Analysis
The results of our data showed that over all while listening to classical music people took
more time but on an average they had an overall higher score in both english and math
subjects. Whereas in no music and the rock music,they took less time on average but had
lesser scores compared to classical music. Although rock music had the least amount of
time in the math subject it had the worst average grade and in english it had the seond
worst grade, with the lowest average aount of time. For our math test, in the classical
section our average grade was 55.55% with an average time of 3.26 minutes. Classical
music had the greatest average score but the lowest average time. For the rock music
section the average grade was 37.77% and the average time was 3.13 minutes. And
finally No music had an average score of 48.88% with an average timing of 2.87 minutes.
no music had the lowest time but not the best score. In the english testings, classical had a
average grade on 92.44%, no music had 84.88% and rock had 88.66%.
Results and Conclusions
In conlusion, our hypothesis was supported, showing that classical music is best suited
for listening to when completeing homework or paperwork of somekind. It was also
shown in our experiments that compared to no music, it is best to listen to musc in
general because it positively affects the work ethic and productivity. Out of our six
different tests, 2 of which were no music, only once was a music affected average lower
than no music at all (Math test-rock-average). Because our hypothesis was supported it is
shown that, working while listening to music can affect your productivity in a possible
way, due to the fact that most noise is drowned our keeping your focus remained on the
task, and the music best suited for better productivity would be classical music. classical
music had the higher time average, but the altimate higher grade.

Research and Bibliography

The New Book of Knowledge, Volume 2, B Scholastic Library Publishing Inc.
Danbury, Connecticut. 2005
There are four main sections of the brain, the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, occipital
lobe, and the parietal lobe. In the frontal lobe deals with movement, reasoning, problem
solving, planning, eye movement and speech. The temporal lobe has to do with hearing,
speech and hearing comprehension, and and hearing processing. Touch, sense and
movement processing has to do with the parietal lobe and in the occipital lobe works with
vision and vision processing. Concentration happens in the frontal lobe and the part of the
brain that processes sound such as music is the temporal lobe, in the midbrain. When we
are concentrating and working on problem solving while listening to music these two
parts of the brain interacts and work with each other

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21508527,
1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic
University, Xinzhuang City, Taiwan. 062161@mail.fju.edu.tw 10/18/14
Music, (in the background) can influence a persons attention span. Music can either help
progress or distract someone. What grabs their attention is the genre of music and
whether or not they like the type of music. If the genre is well liked it could distract, but
if the genre is hated it can also be distracting. Depending on the liking of music, work
progression can either improve or decrease work result. Within many tests like this one
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22523045) The results showed music does affect a
worker ability, but the results in this test shows that as a result, a test takers or worker
ability is At a higher point when there are no lyrics in the song and it is instrumental or
classical because the likelihood of a worker being distracted when a song has words is
high, they are more distracted and their attention is brought to the words rather than the
work In front of them, so less gets done.

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_brain01.htm
The activity in our brains are like "The rippling of water when a stone is thrown in."
There are four main types of brain waves, Beta, theta, alpha, and delta. Alpha are the
waves that show relaxation, Beta are the waves of our conscious in-control mind, Delta
Are the waves that show relaxation such as in our sleep and finally theta shows deep
meditation, and a life-like imagination for example a realistic dream. The Beta waves are
what is associated with our concentration, our problem solving, our walking, talking,
listening, etc. These Beta waves are what is stimulated when listening to music while
working. It can affect our analysis and thought process. These Beta waves happen in the
frontal lobe and the temporal lobe part of the brain.
The New Book of Knowledge Volume 12, M Scholastic Library Publishing Inc,.
Danbury, Connecticut. 2004.
Music lies within everyones past. It was used long ago as a means of storytelling,
expressing emotions, folk songs, legends, and an act of being social. The word music
originates from the greek goddess call a "muse". Muses were the keepers of the arts and
sciences, such as paintings, sculpture, literature and especially music. There are four main
types of instrumental groups in music, there are the strings, the woodwinds, brass, and the
percussion group. Music makes up our traditions, and history; it takes part in religion and
helps out the economy.
Rock - America's Music." Rock - America's Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov.
2014.

Rock and roll involves multiple different music styles. Combining R&B,
country, gospel and the blues. With the maturing of a teenage
audience, rock and roll music became the sound of young America and
soon spread around the world. Rock and roll emerged in the 1950's.
Artist like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan were partly responsible for rock
and roll. Elvis being known as the "King of Rock and Roll". Rock is still
around today.
How Playing Music Affects The Developing Brain." CommonHealth RSS. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

A study in 1993 on college students showed that while listening to

Mozart Sonata the students did better on spatial reasoning tests. There
are claims that listening to Mozart temporarily increases a persons IQ.
While doing so it benefits the brain in the long run. Other studies have
shown that playing mozart to a fetus while still in the mothers stomach
helps develop their mind. Not only playing it for a fetus but playing
classical music while someone of any age sleeps also helps develop
their brain. Multiple studies have shown positive reactions from
listening to Mozart.
Wood, Joann. "Rap Music." Rap Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

In 1978, two DJ's had enough with the aging disco scene. They started
using two turntables at the same time. Historians have named them as
the "founding fathers of rap". Rap broke out with "Rapper's Delight" by

the Sugar Hill Gang in the summer of 1979. It marked the beginning of
the rap music trend. Rap is still a popular genre today. There has been
controversy about rap spoiling young teenagers minds.

Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge our test subjects for actually being a part of the
experiment and making our results possible and we would like to thank Ms. Resnick for
helping us all throughout the project; answering our questions and making sure we were
on track with our experiment.