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Emotionally Arousing Music To Enhance Memory

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Over the years, there have been many controversial beliefs about the effects of music. Sherilene M. Carr and Nikki S. Rickard tried to lay some of these controversies to rest by proving that emotional arousing music enhances memory. In the study, The Use of Emotionally Arousing Music to Enhance Memory for Subsequently Presented Images, Carr and Rickard hypothesized that music, which affects us emotionally, will also increase the subjects’ ability to remember images. This information is highly relevant to our society today because music has earned a label of nonimportance. Though studies prove that music can increase test scores, schools are still cutting out their music classes and prohibiting students from listening to music during school. All things considered, this study presents itself with a few faults including the size and diversity of the subject pool as well as the accuracy of the collected information.
Carr and Rickard used …show more content…

Carr and Rickard are trying to test the effect of music on memory, so in doing so, they should have tried to get variety of people. The goal would be to match the percentages of study participants to that of society. Arguably, because the study was conducted in 2015, there should have been roughly six percent of participants who have played an instrument, based on the US Census for 2015. Presently the study had 23 participants who had previously played a musical instrument. To ensure that the study results are as accurate as possible, the ratio should be split as accurately as possible meaning only two of the thirty-seven participants should have ever played a musical instrument. For people who play a musical instrument, music is going to affect the brain and stimulation differently than someone who just listens to music out of enjoyment. As it stands currently, this study could argue that people who have played a musical instrument can use music to improve their

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