The Effects of Music on the Brain
In recent years, scientists have begun to do extensive research on the brains of individuals. Surprisingly, the brain only makes up two percent of a person’s mass but uses around twenty percent of the whole body’s energy and oxygen (Alban, 2016, para. 9). Although the brains of humans process sound in the auditory cortex, studies have shown that music boosts areas of the brain that are more closely associated with memory, emotions, and fine motor skills (Theismann, 2015, para. 4). Because of this association, music has major impacts on the brains of babies, children, and the elderly. First, music has extensive impacts on the brains of babies. Specifically, music impacts the brain development of infants and toddlers. A child’s brain grows substantially until age three by building pathways between cells called synapses. Notably, the specific synapses needed to listen to classical music are extremely similar to those used for spatial awareness. On the other hand, music improves the cognitive abilities of babies’ brains. Studies by Dr. Frances Ravscher and Gordon Shaw solidify this idea (Batema, 2012, para. 2-5). Due to its more complex harmony, instrumentation and structure, classical music prepares pathways in the brain needs for various cognitive tasks. Consequently, better pathways make for more efficient cognitive processes. Likewise, music speeds up the learning abilities in babies. Extensive studies by McMaster University (2012) discovered that one-year-old babies have better communication skills and show earlier brain responses when exposed to “interactive music classes with their parents” (Science Daily, para. 1). Similarly, research by various professionals has proven the connection between music and more effective brain processes for children under three years old. Next, music has major impacts on the brains of children. Music helps children’s brain development in addition to the brain development of babies. Children who have studied music have a better-developed transfer of information between the two hemispheres attributed to a slightly larger fiber bundle. Basically, the fiber bundle is the front part of the corpus callosum, which connects the
Music, one of the many factors that enhance our lives, has been a widely ranged field. From Classical music to Hip Hop, there are listeners of all ages, each having their own preference of music. Through research, it has been discovered that memory can be affected by many different factors, including music. Music has been found to stimulate parts of the brain, alleviating stress and depression. Additional research also shows that music, especially Classical, enhances the storage and recall of memory. Therefore we decided to test the effect of music on memory to evaluate the changes and differences.
Hicks, George. "How Playing Music Affects The Developing Brain. CommonHealth RSS. CommonHealth, 17 July 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
Studies show that music appears to support kids’ normal skills to interpret sounds and words. Learning to read and play music, appears to be related to an amount of assistance for kids, including improved processing of language and better reading skills. Music exercise in kids play develop key skills that will aid them in listening, attention, remembrance, and reading skills. Lisa Miller thinks,” in Europe was as crucial to becoming a cultivated person as knowing the works of Mozart or Rembrandt” ( ). Music is a foundation of human culture; it is a learning device, a way of communication, and, a way of
Music can help the human brain in many ways. It’s like what Prof. Sarah Wilson from the video “Music Of The Brain” said about the effects of what humming and singing from a mother can do to her offspring. The humming and singing a mother does can develop a very important and special bond and connection between the child and mother. About 40% of babies who were born pre-maturely can develop reading and writing disabilities because those months that they missed could be the amount of months that their mother would be singing or speaking to their babies. Most of what premature babies hear is beeping from the monitors since they are kept in a special care room at the hospital. Also, music can help speak impaired people. For example Dr. Peter Hand’s
Music has been apart of society for thousands of years and an outlet for people's stress and other problems they may be facing. It helps the brain function and understand conditions better by breaking it down and trying to comprehend it. Music has made and is still making an impact on the lives of people all around the world. Because of its impact on peoples lives neuroscientist wanted to get to the source and have been looking at the brain to determine the exact effects of music and they can now answer the question, what effects does music have on the brain? Listening to music can send pleasure to your mind, decide your emotions, lower stress, and improve learning.
Did you know that music is one of the few activities that utilizes the whole entire brain? Did you know that music can physically alter your brain structure? Today I am going to be talking about the power of music and its impacts and effects on the brain. Throughout my whole life I have always had a passion for music of all different types and genres. I listen to music wherever I go and during whatever I’m doing. My mom would continually badger me about the music I was listening to and how it was corrupting my brain. After much research and many songs later, I discovered it actually has many positive effects on the brain. In the rest
Music on the Brain, is a documentary film produced by ABCTV Catalyst in Australia. It is to inform people about the effects music can have on people with dementia, also known as Parkinson’s disease. It talks about the emotional connections that music can have within the brain. This documentary is directed to target older people that are effected by dementia or Parkinson’s. Throughout the documentary, the narrator, Dr. Jonica Newby, uses examples of the rhetorics ethos and pathos to capture her audience and prove that music can help the brain in more ways than one.
What kind of music do you like? Is it rock, country, rap, pop, or something else. We all have some sort of preference that we like, and we can thank our brain for that. With this paper I will tell you how our brain reacts to music and how it affects us.
Over the past 20 years, numerous scientific studies found a strong positive relation between playing music, intellectual capacity, personal growth and social interaction with others. Researchers maintained that music can also help children in acquiring literacy, consequently improving their academic achievement. We now know that music impacts different areas of child development; including intellectual, social and emotional, motor, language, and literacy skills (Barrett & Bond, 2014).
Music and music experiences support the formation of important brain connections that are being established over the first three years of life (Carlton 2000). Musical experiences are helpful for academic achievement in childhood, because music actually accelerate brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills. (The University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute) Moreover, music ignites all areas of child development and skills for readiness intellectual,
Music affects the amplitude and frequency of brain waves. Music can create a highly focused learning state which vocabulary and reading material is absorbed at a great rate (Education.jhu 2016). Students who received music instruction had improved sound discrimination and fine motor tasks and brain imaging. When information is put into rhythm and rhyme, these musical elements provide a hook for recall and gives a better remembrance of data(Cerebremente 2016).
Have you ever felt as though listening to music helped you focus when learning? Have you felt it increased your brain activity and made you work better and faster? Music is a fascinating element used by many people from different cultures to express themselves and learn. An argument at large with the use of music is, can music truly further and express learning and cognitive development? Like most debates, this topic has two opposing sides, as to whether it can or cannot affect the brain. On one side, it has been said that music has a positive effect on learning, development and brain activity and on the other hand, it has been said to have little to no effect. From the research and studies conducted, music has a positive effect on cognitive development, recall and learning. When working, listening to music can
Studies across the United States have shown that young adults that listen to classical music have a better memory. Of those that obtained brain damage previous to the study, music repaired most, if not all, of the damage. Therefore, using music as therapy is an effective way to help heal parts of the brain. Music therapy is an effective alternative therapy option that specialized therapists used to help someone’s emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical health. For people who do not need music therapy, and listen to classical music, their brain can retain information better. For example, classical music affects how well someone can memorize spelling, poetry, and foreign words. Also, people who play an instrument or listen to classical music can learn and understand a foreign language more easily than someone who does
In Macedonian hills, the music of Orpheus was said to possess certain magical qualities, having powers strong enough to alter the very behavior of people and animals. Among its abilities, the notes of Orpheus' lyre were said to calm the guard-dog of Hades (1), to cause the evil Furies to cry, and to tame the deadly voices of the Sirens (2). Was this power simply a divine and magical gift with no other explanation, or can we explain more specifically the connections between music and behavior?
Although many, one positive way music education is beneficial to students is that it has a large impact on brain stem growth. With the incorporation of music in a student’s daily life, the brain stem’s responses become more robust (Brown). Therefore, the amount of brain stem growth correlates with recent musical training. As stated by Brown, an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore, “student’s that are involved with a large amount of music will see more gains in brain stem growth”. Furthermore, the neural changes that occur in students as adolescents stay with them into adulthood (“Music Matters”). This allows students to be more prepared once they go into the workforce as adults. Along with the brain stem’s responses being more robust, it’s sensitivity to sound increases (“The Benefits” 1). This is abundantly evident from early on, as mother’s sing to their infants to facilitate brain stimulation and development. Enrichment through music, starting at a young age, seems to improve individuals speech sound development and use of more advanced vocabulary. Adolescents’ language also improves with the use of music in a student’s academics (Miller 46). Luehrisen