By Ashley Virnoche
Finals are right around the corner. Studying with music can improve cognitive abilities.
I listen to music when studying for every subject except math, said Elizabeth Tadlock, College of Southern Nevada student. “When I listen to music and do math, I get lost.” The rest of the time she listens to a variety of music when she studies. She finds upbeat music helps.
In her dissertation, Stephanie E. Haynes conducted a study on the effects of background music on the test anxiety of college students studying algebra. It was found that studying to background music reduced math anxiety of 160 college students at West Virginia University.
“Listening to music helps me focus only if there are no words,” said Tiffany Amey, CSN student. “I listen to classical or instrumental music such as Break of Reality or Keaton Henson.”
According to the article titled “The Mozart Effect” printed in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine by J.S. Jenkins, “In 1993 researchers made the surprising claim that after listening to Mozart’s sonata for two pianos for 10 minutes, normal subjects showed significantly better spatial reasoning skills than after periods of listening to relaxation instructions designed to lower blood pressure or silence.”
Rocio Carrillo, CSN student, said she thinks music enhances her brain power while studying. “Yes, it allows me to focus on the subject and fully concentrate on the assignment.”
“When I study with music I do retain the information better because I can pick songs that go along with what I am studying to help me remember information,” Amey said.
For students studying for finals, Tadlock, Amey and Carrillo comprised a list of five songs that will help students study. To listen to this combined playlist visit https://soundcloud.com/hiashleynicole/sets/fall-2014-study-jams.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 