Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
Music, Tempo, Memory, Reading, Verbal, Comprehension
Department
Music
Major
Music (applied Voice) and Psychology
Abstract
This study experimentally investigated the effect of background music on retention as it relates to short term memory. Eighty undergraduate participants from various fields of study at Pepperdine University were randomly assigned to either listen to or read a preselected passage while listening to preselected excerpts of fast or slow tempo music. All participants were then asked to complete a 10 question test covering the material presented. There was a main effect specifically for music tempo in that participants who were exposed to background music at a slower speed while either reading or listening to a passage scored higher on the comprehension task. Consequently, the type of the retention task was less significant than the speed and tempo of the background music played. The results align with the original hypothesis and confirm that there is a correlation between music and memory retention. This study demonstrates how the presence and type of background music can potentially aid or hinder retention.
Faculty Mentor
Janet Trammell
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
22-3-2024 1:30 PM
End Date
22-3-2024 2:30 PM
Included in
The Effect of Study Music Tempo on Short Term Memory Retention in Reading and Verbal Comprehension
Waves Cafeteria
This study experimentally investigated the effect of background music on retention as it relates to short term memory. Eighty undergraduate participants from various fields of study at Pepperdine University were randomly assigned to either listen to or read a preselected passage while listening to preselected excerpts of fast or slow tempo music. All participants were then asked to complete a 10 question test covering the material presented. There was a main effect specifically for music tempo in that participants who were exposed to background music at a slower speed while either reading or listening to a passage scored higher on the comprehension task. Consequently, the type of the retention task was less significant than the speed and tempo of the background music played. The results align with the original hypothesis and confirm that there is a correlation between music and memory retention. This study demonstrates how the presence and type of background music can potentially aid or hinder retention.