How Music Effects Our Mood

INTRODUCTION

Music has become a big part of Western culture with the growth of the internet. It is possible to select music now with a touch of a button. Online sites such as ITunes and Spotify have made it possible for a large variety of music to be accessed easily and quickly. As well as being easy to access, recent studies have discovered that music can help to improve moods.

MUSIC AND STUDYING

Some students claim that they work better when they are listening to music. However this does not seem to be the case when looking at the results of research undertaken by the University of Wales. During study periods where music was being played results included:

• Music more often distracts the student
• Memory recall tasks are more successful without background music
• Music that is liked and disliked are equal in distraction

Even though music is seen to be a big distraction as this study shows, it can still be beneficial to certain tasks and times. When music is played before a study session, the student is often in a more relaxed state of mind and able to concentrate better on the tasks at hand. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that creative tasks benefit from background music.

MUSIC IN THE WORKPLACE

Music in the work place does seem to be much more productive then for studying. The old saying of “a happy work force is a productive work force” does have an element of truth to it. Music played in many work place environments have an effect on the workers increasing productivity. Benefits of music being played in the workplace include:

• A sense of escapism for repetitive tasks
• Lifts the moods of the work place
• Lifts energy levels

There is evidence to suggest that the type of music that is played does effect the productivity of the work force. Music with lyrics can often be found to be distracting as people need to concentrate on the words that are sung. However acoustic and ambient music can be used to help lift the mood of the work place.

CONCLUSION

Music can be seen to either hinder or to help the work force. Things that can affect the decision on music need to include the type of job that is performed. In addition this the type of music also needs to be considered. Music is good for medial repetitive kind of jobs however with jobs that need concentration, music can be seen as a distraction.