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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine
if music affected the performance of a student doing a math quiz, and if
classical music (without words) or soft rock music (with words) would make
a difference.
I became interested in this idea when my older
sister did a project testing the stimulus of classical music on the amount
of movements made by day care children when sleeping.
The information gained from this experiment may
be used at schools or while doing homework so that people can get the grades
that they are capable of.
HYPOTHESIS
My first hypothesis was that students would have
better math scores with music than without.
My second hypothesis was that students would have
better scores with classical music than with soft rock music.
I base my hypothesis on the World Book Encyclopedia
page 946 of the article "Music" that said, "People use music to express
feelings and ideas. Music also serves to entertain and relax." This gave
me the idea that music would calm people down and help them to think more
clearly.
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EXPERIMENT
DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
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the place of the test
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the problems on the test
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the number of problems on the test
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the amount of time to complete the test
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people of the same gender, people of the same
grade
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people with the same capabilities in math
The manipulated variable was the type of music.
The responding variable was the number of problems
gotten right with and without music.
To measure the responding variable I will count
the number of problems correct using an answer key.
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MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 1 |
compact disc player |
| 2 |
compact discs (Beethoven for
Book Lovers and Beach Boys) |
| 25 |
math tests (form A) |
| 25 |
math tests (form B) |
| 25 |
math tests (form C) |
| 24 |
pencils |
| 24 |
children |
| 8 |
chairs |
| 8 |
tables |
| 1 |
pen |
| 1 |
calculator |
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PROCEDURES
Creating the Test, Answer Key, and Instructions
1. Choose 50 math problems out of a sixth grade math book
2. Type math problems on a blank sheet of paper. Create 3 versions
of this test changing only one digit of each number.
3. Create an answer key for each version.
4. Photocopy 25 of each test version
5. Write out the instructions to read to each group of students
Putting Subjects into Groups Fairly
6. Put all of the names of boys into one pile and all the names of girls
into another pile.
7. Randomly put an equal number of boys into Group A, Group B, and
Group C.
8. Randomly put an equal number of girls into Group A, Group B, and
Group C.
9. Try to make sure each group has the same total number
Conducting the Tests
10. Schedule an empty schoolroom that will seat 8 students.
11. Bring subjects to room and have them sit at a desk with plenty
of separation.
12. Read instructions to students. Then hand out tests and pencils.
13. Depending on the group play the appropriate music or no music.
(See daily testing schedule.)
14. Tell students to start
15. Give kids 15 minutes to get as many math problems as they can done
16. Collect all papers
17. Dismiss kids
18. Repeat steps 10-17 with the next group of students, following the
daily testing schedule.
19. Correct all papers
20. Record scores
21. On the next two test days, repeat steps 10 - 20 following the test
schedules for those days.
The Daily Testing Schedule
Because my subjects might get tired of taking math tests this schedule
will give each experimental treatment a fair chance. Only one-third
of the subjects will be given each treatment each day. Students must be
separated into group A, B, and C randomly.
| Test Order |
Test Order |
Group A |
Group B |
Group B |
| 1 |
1 |
Classical |
Soft Rock |
No Music |
| 2 |
2 |
Soft Rock |
No Music |
Classical |
| 3 |
3 |
No Music |
Classical |
Soft Rock |
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RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine if music affected
the performance of a student doing a math quiz, and if classical music
(without words) or soft rock music (with words) would make a difference.
The results of the experiment were that children scored higher with
classical music rather than soft rock music, and that children scored the
same with classical music and no music.
See table and graphs.
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CONCLUSION
My first hypothesis was that students will have better math scores with
music than without. My second hypothesis was that students will have better
scores with classical music than with soft rock music.
The results indicate that my first hypothesis should be rejected, because
the average results of no music and classical music were the same. My second
hypothesis should be accepted, because the average results for classical
music and soft rock music indicate that classical music gave better scores.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if the results would
come out the same if I tested boys against girls in this same way.
If I were to conduct this project again I would give the students less
time to finish the quiz, or more math problems to solve. Because I did
not do this, the results came out almost exactly the same for music and
no music. I think that both of my hypotheses would be accepted if I did
this.
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RESEARCH REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Human productivity is very important to society so that our world can
keep improving and so humans can keep making advanced things. It would
really help humans to find a way to work faster and get more information
into their brains at a time. Some people believe that music will help humans
to do this.
THE BRAIN
Thought. Emotion. Memory. Important? Yes, but none of these could take
place without the brain. The brain is a very sensitive organ located in
your head. The brain allows you to do everything that you need to do, like
brushing your teeth, taking a shower, doing your homework and all your
daily activities. It helps you to remember to do those things, and helps
you to remember how to do those things.
Thoughts are also very important. You can’t think about how
excited you are to go to the concert, or how dead you are for not turning
in your homework without them. Thoughts take place on the left side of
the brain. They are the ideas that let you know how you are feeling, or
how to do something. Thought could never take place without the brain.
Emotions are feelings. There are many of them, like sad, mad, happy,
exited, and more. Emotions come from the right side of the brain.
The side of your brain figures out how to feel, and what it knows from
past experiences.
All memories involve the same process. The brain receives information,
combines the information with thoughts and feelings from a memory, and
then restores the memory. Later, your brain retrieves the memory. Retrieval
of the memory is often referred to as remembering, meaning mentally experiencing
something from the past.
The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and
the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. The right
hemisphere of the brain controls spatial abilities, face recognition, visual
images, and music. The left hemisphere controls language, math, and logic.
"The left side of the brain handles one fact at a time, one step at a time.
The right grasps concepts in their entirety, complete and in an instant."
(Pg. 109) The two hemispheres work together. Left handers seem to have
an advantage in recovering from brain damage. Their brain seems better
able to transfer language functions to undamaged areas.
Every experience that you have from birth to death affects how your
neurons interact. Positive learning experiences strengthen your neurons,
but negative experiences can have disastrous consequences. Most scientists
believe that if you grow up in a violent environment, then you will become
violent yourself.
MUSIC AND THE BRAIN
New research shows that music may enhance learning, memory, and intelligence.
The Mozart Effect is part of the answer. The Mozart Effect is the capacity
of music to improve spatial reasoning. It can affect adults as well as
children. Music itself can affect the eyesight, hearing, and memory of
the listener. Music gives you a mental picture so that inside of your brain
you can "see" what you are doing, whether you are aware of this or not.
Music affects how the brain works, and how it is structured. In most non-musicians,
the appreciation of music is divided between the two hemispheres. The right
hemisphere handles rhythm and intonation, and the left hemisphere handles
dynamics and notation. But among most musicians, music is handled only
in the left hemisphere of the brain.
If you were to damage the temporal lobe then you would most likely
have problems playing an instrument, keeping rhythm, or recognizing music-
in other words, dealing with music. Even though music would be a challenge
to deal with, you would probably be able to hear people talking and things
like that. This condition is called amusia. Listening to music involves
memory, learning, and emotion.
Both the right and left hemispheres respond to music. A few years ago,
an experiment was done
MUSIC
People use music for lots of reasons. To relax, to entertain, to express
feelings and ideas, and many more. Each culture has developed its own kind
and style of music and instruments, but all music has rhythm, melody, harmony,
and form. Rhythm is the time of music, like four beats per measure, or
three beats per measure, and the beat is an ongoing, never ending thing.
Harmony is the building of chords that accompany the melody. Melody is
the opposite of harmony. It is most liked the human voice. Melody involves
the pitch, or scale. Some music is mostly melody, like Jingle Bells. Form
is the way that the melody, harmony, and rhythm work together to create
a masterpiece.
SOUND
Sound is produced by the vibration of an object. If the vibration is
regular, then a sound or tone is produced. If it is irregular, then it
will be a "noise". Tones either have a high, low, or medium range. The
vibration changes it. A piano has 88 tones. You press the white and black
keys to get them. The musical alphabet is used to name the white keys,
and the black keys are either sharps or flats. Middle C is the middle
sound. The voice of an average human is at middle C. The notes above middle
C are in the treble clef range, and the notes below middle C are in the
bass clef range. Slow and fast vibration changes the pitch. The keys at
the left end of the piano vibrate slow, so they sound low toned. The keys
at the right end of the piano vibrate fast, so they sound high pitched.
People probably started to sing as soon as language was developed. Music
is recorded with symbols that are represented by a staff. The system of
the symbols is called notation. The rhythm, tempo, and dynamics are indicated
by other symbols.
THE BEACH BOYS
There were five beach boys. They were Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl
Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine. Brian, Dennis, and Carl were brothers,
and Al and Mike were friends of theirs. The Beach Boys first number one
hit was "I Get Around". More hits were "Dance, Dance, Dance", "When I Grow
Up", and "Sloop John B". Their second number one hit was "Help Me Rhonda",
and to get that song to number one, they pushed the Beatles hit song "Ticket
To Ride" out of its victory place. Dennis Wilson was the only member of
the Beach Boys that surfed. He was the one who persuaded his friends and
brothers to write and sing songs about surfing. Unfortunately, Dennis
Wilson drowned in the December of 1983 while swimming alongside of his
boat, trying to get back on.
BEETHOVEN
Ludwig Van Beethoven was either born on December 15 or 16, 1770- the
exact date is unknown. He had an older brother named Ludwig Maria, but
he was born and died before Beethoven was born. Beethoven’s parents probably
named Beethoven after his older brother so that they wouldn’t forget him.
Beethoven started piano lessons when he was four. His father gave them
to him. Beethoven would have to stand on thee piano bench in order to reach
the keys, and if he played a wrong note then his father would rap his knuckles
together as a punishment. Beethoven started playing professionally when
he was about six. He composed a whole lot during his time. Beethoven had
a hard life as a child, and had to play the piano and organ to help make
money. When his mother died, his father was so stressed that he became
an alcoholic. Then Beethoven had to make almost all of the money to support
and care for his family. Beethoven did a good job of raising the
family, and soon after that his father died. Beethoven became famous in
many places, and held many concerts. During his concerts, if anyone were
to talk or laugh at him or at his playing, he would immediately stop playing
and storm out of the room. He would also do this if he didn’t get a huge
applause after every piece that he played. If anyone cried because his
playing was so good, then he would call them fools and laugh at them, and
then play a different piece. Unfortunately, Ludwig Van Beethoven died on
March 26, 1827, leaving us with all of the wonderful music that he had
composed and played. Over 10,000 people came to Beethoven’s funeral, to
say a final goodbye.
SUMMARY
As you can see, both music and the brain are very important. The brain
allows us to live, and music allows the brain to work a little bit better.
If everybody listened to music, the world might be a better place.
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| BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Beach Boys," [Online] Available at http://www.history-of-rock.com/beach_boys.htm,
1/10/01
Brynie, Faith Hickman. 101 Questions Your Brain Has Asked about Itself
But Couldn’t Answer. Connecticut: Millbrook Press Inc., 1984. pp. 100-121
(Quote taken from page 109)
Chudler, Eric. "The Musical Brain." [Online] Available at http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/music.html,
1/22/01
"Generation and Properties," World Book Encyclopedia of Science, 1997
pp. 104-107
Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the Musicians. New York: Harcourt Brace
and Company, 1993. pp. 14-29
Longyear, RM. "Music," The World Book Encyclopedia, 1998, pp. 946-960
"Music," Compton’s New World Encyclopedia, 1995 pp. 1-5
"Musical Notation," Compton’s New World Encyclopedia, 1995 pp. 1-12
"One Brain… or Two?,"[Online] Available http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html
11/13/00
Restak, Richard. Brain Scapes New York: Hyperion, 1984. pp. 3-9
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following people for their help with my science
project:
1.All of my subjects for volunteering to do my project.
2.Mrs. Barber for allowing two of her students to come out of
class and do my project.
3.The I.R.B. committee for taking the time to review and comment
on my procedures.
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