Is Listening to Music While You Study Good or Bad for Your Memory?

Have you ever wondered if listening to music while you study for a test helps you retain what you study?  Studies show that the answer is yes and no.  On August 8, 2010, Robert Priedt wrote on USATODAY.com that a study published in 2010 through the online journal Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that background music seems to impair a person’s ability to memorize or recall information.  The study subjects were asked to recall a list of eight consonants in the order that they were presented.  They did this in different sound environments and the researchers found that the subject’s recall ability was poorest when they were listening to music.  This study would suggest that it’s a bad idea to listen to music while you study for your next test but like with most things, there’s another side to this coin. 

On August 9, 2011, the University of Phoenix Writer Network referenced a different study from 1996 that concluded that certain types of music actually stimulate the brain to work more efficiently while studying.  The research studies asserted that particularly classical and baroque music had the most positive effect on the subject’s memory retain ability.  Because this type of music typically maintains a 60 beats per minute tempo it activates the right side of the brain while the left side of the brain is activated by studying material.  The brain is able to work more efficiently with both sides activated.  The study also found that the reason classical and baroque music have the most positive effect is because that type of music follows a specific structure that only repeats once throughout a particular composition.  If there is too much repetition in the background music it is distracting to the brain and not beneficial for memory recall.  So there are a lot of factors at work to determine whether or not music stifles your memory or fosters it.

Boyd Richards who is currently studying Computer Science at Utah Valley University listens to music every time he studies.  “I listen to a wide range of music from Bach to Blink-182 to Pavarotti to Muse, Eminem and Shakira while I’m studying.  I don’t notice any difference when I’m studying to Bach or Eminem.”  When asked why he listens to music while studying he said, “Music helps me ignore everything else that’s going on.”  Jake Gifford who is also studying at UVU, stated “Music helps keep me up and alert while I’m studying.  I keep the volume up high enough for me to hear it but down enough to where it’s not distracting.  My mind tends to wander when I’m not listening to music, so it helps me concentrate.”

There are pros and cons from listening to music while you study.  Different people respond differently to various music depending on its tempo, volume, patterns, and intensity.  So, what should you do the next time you are thinking about listening to music before you study?  Pay attention to the tempo, volume, repetition patterns, and genre of music to see if it will be more distracting than helpful.

Studying with Music
Source:  Jeff Miller, 26 Apr. 2007
Retrieved from: http://photos.uc.wisc.edu/photos/7290/view, accessed 28 Nov. 2012.

For some ideas of what music is helpful for studying, check out this article:
"Music Can Help You Study"
Here is an article that will help you decide what music is right for you to study by:
"Music and Studying"