- The “Mozart effect” called into question
- A new study with 163 students
- Music as a tool for concentration?
- A major boost to motivation
- Different effects depending on the task
- Lyrics may interfere with reading
- Confidence in one’s concentration affects listening
- Instrumental music is not a one-size-fits-all solution
- You should adapt your music rather than use it automatically
In libraries, study rooms, and at home, many students put in their earbuds as soon as they start studying. Music is said to help you concentrate better and stay motivated. However, it doesn’t automatically improve learning ability. Its effects vary depending on the difficulty of the task, the type of music you’re listening to, and each person’s susceptibility to distractions. Bridget K. Daleiden, PhD, an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studied students’ listening habits to understand why they work while listening to music and in what situations this practice can enhance their attention spans or disrupt them.
The “Mozart effect” called into question
The idea that music enhances intellectual performance has been around for several decades. It was notably popularized by the “Mozart effect,” stemming from a 1993 study of 36 students that observed a slight improvement in spatial reasoning tasks after listening to the Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448. However, the measured effects lasted no more than about fifteen minutes, and the study did not demonstrate any general increase in IQ. Since then, several research teams have failed to clearly replicate these results. Meta-analyses have concluded that the observed benefits were slight and could be explained primarily by a temporary improvement in mood, alertness, or motivation. The existence of an effect specific to Mozart’s music therefore remains widely disputed.
A new study with 163 students
To better understand students’ habits, Bridget K. Daleiden surveyed 163 college students as part of a two-year study. The participants described how they used music while engaging in various activities: reading textbooks, writing papers, solving math problems, and preparing for exams.
The researcher also examined the moments when students decided to turn off their music. This approach makes it possible to distinguish between the automatic use of earbuds and a more deliberate use tailored to the nature of their studying. The responses show that there is no single way to work while listening to music. Some students use it almost systematically, while others reserve it for specific tasks or prefer complete silence.
Music as a tool for concentration?
About 67% of the students surveyed said they listen to music to improve their concentration. For many, earbuds create a barrier from the outside world and reduce the attention paid to conversations, movement, or unexpected noises. Music can therefore create a sort of sound bubble.
In a busy library, a shared living space, or a café, it blocks out sounds that might regularly interrupt one’s work. However, this sense of concentration does not guarantee better performance. A person may feel more absorbed while reading more slowly, making more mistakes, or retaining less information.
A major boost to motivation
Motivation is another major reason for listening to music. In Bridget K. Daleiden’s study, about 75% of participants said they used music to maintain their motivation to work. Music you enjoy can help you get started on a boring assignment or keep going during a session that feels long. It makes the environment more pleasant and can reduce feelings of boredom, especially during repetitive activities. Its main benefit, therefore, isn’t necessarily related to memory or comprehension. Above all, music can promote concentration by helping students stay focused for longer on a task they would otherwise have put off or abandoned.
Different effects depending on the task
The students also explained that their choice depends largely on the difficulty of the task. A familiar activity or one they have already mastered generally requires less mental effort. It can therefore be done with background music without causing a significant loss of concentration.
Conversely, understanding an unfamiliar concept, analyzing complex text, or constructing an argument places heavy demands on working memory. This type of memory allows us to temporarily hold multiple pieces of information in order to compare and organize them. When music also captures our attention, it can compete with the information needed to complete the task. Several participants reported that they turned off their playlists when working on difficult material or topics they were not yet comfortable with.
Lyrics may interfere with reading
Songs with lyrics are particularly likely to interfere with language-based tasks. While reading, the brain must identify words, understand sentences, and connect pieces of information. Listening to a song at the same time adds a second linguistic source. Attention can then shift from the text to the song, especially when the lyrics are familiar or easy to follow. One student interviewed by Bridget K. Daleiden explained that she had more difficulty working when she listened to a song she could sing along to. This phenomenon is common: the more familiar the song is, the more likely it is to automatically trigger the urge to follow along with the lyrics.
Confidence in one’s concentration affects listening
In a second survey of 103 students, Bridget K. Daleiden found that about 52% of participants listened to music while reading, 68% while writing, and nearly 70% while solving math problems. About 30% even reported that they consistently worked with music on, regardless of the task at hand. The results also show that students who were most motivated and most confident in their ability to stay focused were statistically more likely to listen to music while studying and reading.
Instrumental music is not a one-size-fits-all solution
Choosing instrumental pieces helps avoid competition for attention between a song’s lyrics and the words you’re reading or writing. This solution may be suitable for people who want to block out outside noise without being distracted by lyrics. However, the absence of lyrics does not automatically make the music neutral. A complex, fast-paced, or particularly enjoyable piece can draw attention to its instruments, rhythm, or melodic changes. One of the students interviewed explained that even instrumental music prevented him from concentrating, because he ended up actively listening to the composition. For some people, therefore, silence is more effective.
You should adapt your music rather than use it automatically
Bridget K. Daleiden therefore recommends using music strategically. Students can begin a task in silence, then play background music if they find themselves lacking motivation or distracted by surrounding noises. They can also reserve upbeat playlists for simple activities, such as organizing files, formatting a document, or completing repetitive exercises. For complex tasks, a slow, unobtrusive track without lyrics will generally be less distracting. The volume should also remain moderate. Fast, loud music demands more attention than steady background music. When concentration wanes, it may be best to take off the earbuds or replace the music with white noise.
Bridget K. Daleiden’s research shows that music is neither a universal aid nor an inevitable distraction while studying. It can boost motivation, mask outside noise, and make certain familiar tasks easier, but it can also interfere with reading, writing, and activities that require intense focus. Lyrics, volume, rhythm, the difficulty of the task, and personal sensitivity to sound directly influence its effects. The best strategy, therefore, is to adapt music to each situation, opting for quiet songs for simple tasks and choosing silence when music begins to interfere with your concentration.
