Over the last few years the world has been a bit topsy-turvy; especially for school aged children. The pandemic created a need for virtual classrooms, and kept kids from socializing with one another in the ways they always have in the past. But now that things have returned to something resembling normalcy, many parents and teachers are noticing a change in children. The pandemic has left them hyper-focused on their cellphones and the world of social media found within them. Now, with parents and teachers alike struggling to figure out what to do, we have a suggestion: take a deeper look at the connection between music and concentration.
The fact is, learning to play music, and even just listening to it, can have a profound impact on a young mind’s ability to focus and concentrate more easily and for longer periods of time.
Learning to Play Music and Concentration & Memory
Recently, a study was conducted that looked into how musical training can improve both attention spans and working memory in children. Forty children, between the ages of 10 and 13 were tested on these two factors.
Half of the children could play a musical instrument, had had a minimum of two years of lessons, practiced for no less than two hours a week, and regularly performed with an orchestra or ensemble. The other half acted as a control group, with no musical training beyond what was provided by their school curriculum.
The study itself consisted of a series of audio-visual and memory tests combined with brain activity recording via magnetic resonance imaging, which allowed researchers to detect small changes in the brain’s blood flow.
Results
Interestingly, the study showed no noticeable difference in the two group’s reaction times. However, the musically-trained students did significantly better in the memory tests. Dr. Leonie Kausel, a neuroscientist and violinist who worked on the study explained: “Our most important finding is that two different mechanisms seem to underlie the better performance of musically trained children in the attention and WM memory task. One that supports more domain-general attention mechanisms and another that supports more domain-specific auditory encoding mechanisms.”
To simplify Dr. Kausel’s words further, “domain” refers to the way the brain encodes the senses, such as heat, sound, or light.
“Mechanism” then refers to the actual neurochemical processes that occur in the brain.
This means that, when it comes to both domain-specific mechanisms (where only one sense is being processed) and domain-general mechanisms (where several senses are processed at once), the musically-trained students appeared to have improved function.
With these results, the research team concluded that early music training has a positive impact on the functionality of these brain activities.
Listening to Music and Concentration
Of course, there are also benefits to concentration that come from simply listening to music. While there is somewhat less research into this area, and scientists don’t fully understand it, there are benefits to be had.
The Mozart Effect
Back in the 1990s, a study was conducted that showed listening to classical music – specifically Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos – improves both spatial reasoning (the ability to find and move in space, draw relationships between objects, and problem solve) and test scores. This effect has since become known as “the Mozart effect.”
While there is still some debate regarding how strong this effect is, we can say that it is temporary and improves mood, rather than improves intelligence. That said, it’s easier to concentrate when you’re in a good mood.
The Blur Effect
Another study established what has been called “the Blur effect.” In this experiment, kids were divided into three groups, each completing the same test. One group listened to the British pop group Blur during the test, another listened to Mozart, and the final group acted as the control, and had no music. The results showed that the group listening to blur performed significantly better than either of the other two groups. In fact, the effect was much greater than the Mozart effect. Researchers chalked this up to the fact that young people tend to prefer pop music to classical.
This, especially when combined with the findings regarding the Mozart effect, suggest that music is more likely to aid with concentration if you enjoy it.
Music Lowers Stress
Work and school deadlines can lead to a lot of stress, which can impact your concentration. While some studies have suggested that stress around the time of learning can actually help improve your ability to create memories, studies also suggest it can harm your ability to actually retrieve those memories. That means you may have problems remembering that information when you need it most!
In fact, ongoing stress can have a negative impact on your health and lead to:
- Anxiety;
- Sleep issues;
- Worry;
- Reduced productivity;
- Trouble concentrating.
Music has the power to help you relax, reducing the effects stress has on both your body and mind. As a matter of fact, a Russian study found that listening to music for as little as one hour per day can create changes in the brain that aid in even greater relaxation.
Things to Consider Regarding Music and Concentration
The effects music has on the brain, learning, and concentration are not yet fully understood. That being said, it is clear that both playing and listening to music does have an effect, and can help with mood, relaxation, memory, and concentration.
Of course, not everyone responds to music in the same way. For some, music with lyrics is distracting. It helps others to play or listen to music they like.
When Dr. Kausel was asked if she felt children should take music classes, her response was: “Of course, I would recommend that. However, I think parents should not only enroll their children because they expect that this will help them boost their cognitive functions, but because it is also an activity that, even when very demanding, will provide them with joy and the possibility to learn a universal language.”
If you’re looking to help your children (or yourself) start out on their own musical journey, look no further than The Music Studio! We have a wide variety of programs suited for all ages and all skill levels! Visit the rest of our site for further information and sign up today!