Abstract

For generations, college students have claimed that listening to music helps them to study better. But does research support this idea? Past research on the subject has yielded mixed results. Some studies suggest that music helps enhance cognitive performance, some find no difference, and some studies find that music hinders cognitive performance. The present study explored the relationship between soft background music and working memory. Participants were given lists of words to memorize and recall on a blank sheet of paper. Each participant completed two memorization and recall trials, one with music and one without. Participant’s recall performance was compared. In addition, participants’ recall performance in the presence of music with lyrics and music without lyrics was compared. The results of the study indicated that there was no significant difference between the presence of soft background music and no background music. In addition, there was no significant difference between music with lyrics and music without lyrics in the music condition.

Recommended Citation

Beedy, Samantha (2014) "Unforgettable: The Relationship between Music and Memory," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 16, Article 2.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss16/2