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The effect of background music and background noise on the task performance of introverts and extraverts
Abstract
The study investigated the effects of music with high arousal potential and negative affect (HA), music with low arousal potential and positive affect (LA), and everyday noise, on the cognitive task performance of introverts and extraverts. Forty participants completed five cognitive tasks: immediate recall, free recall, numerical and delayed recall, and Stroop. Ten participants completed each of these tasks in one of four sound conditions: HA, LA, everyday noise and silence. Participants were also assessed for levels of introversion/ extroversion, and reported their music/noise and study preferences. Performance was lessened across all cognitive tasks in the presence of background sound (music or noise) compared to silence. HA and LA music produced differential distraction effects, with performance of all tasks being poorer in the presence of HA compared to LA and silence, in the presence of noise than silence across all tasks, and in the presence of noise than LA in three of the four tasks. Performance was moderated by internal arousal, with introverts performing better overall on each task except the Stroop, and appearing to be more detrimentally affected by the presence of HA music and noise.
... Not only that, according to Perham and Vizard (2011) in his study show background music can affect learning, memory and working memory. Studies by Alley & Greene (2008); Cassidy & MacDonald (2007); Avila, Furnham, & McClelland, (2011); Jancke&Sandmann (2010)also show background music can affect learning, memory and working memory and attention to the task of monitoring the cognitive. ...
... In addition, these conditions may make them show better performance. This study results are similar to the previous study (Perham &Vizard, 2011;Avila, Furnham & McClelland, 2011;Cassidy & MacDonald, 2007;Alley & Greene, 2008) results for instrumental music conditions and vocal music condition. These findings provide valuable alternatives for the students especially, to achieve more or less in completing their task. ...
The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of three different backgrounds of music vocal, instrumental and silent on the verbal and spatial task performance in learning. The samples from Master students of Education in University Putra Malaysia which consisted of 36 students from Faculty of Educational Studies. This experimental research design to test hypothesis the effect of three different backgrounds of music vocal, instrumental and silent on the verbal and spatial task performance in learning. Data was analyse using IBM Statistics where this study used independent sample T-test and two-way analysis variance (ANOVA). The T-test result of analysis show there is differences between vocal condition (t = 1.101, p = 0.172), instrumental condition (t = 2.06, p = 0.018), and silent condition difference (t = 2.712, p = 0.022) on the verbal and spatial task in learning. Two-way ANOVA Task-Music group Greenhouse-Geisserwas reported in the significant level (p<0.05).
... sound stimulation (music and noise), task complexity (high and low), and personality (extroversion and introversion) are important factors considered in related research (Furnham and strbac 2002;taheri et al. 2022). compared to quietness, background music has found its influence on individual cognitive performance, such as reading comprehension (Mohan and thomas 2020), verbal memory (Bell et al. 2023;cassidy and MacDonald 2007), visual memory (echaide, Del Río, and Pacios 2019; Furnham andBradley 1997), attentional control (cloutier et al. 2020), linguistic processing (angel, Polzella, and elvers 2010) and visual pursuit performance (Deng and Wu 2020). however, the influence is not consistent that the experimental outcomes are always positive or negative. ...
... Many researchers have also examined the impact of background music on the cognitive performance of extraverts and introverts (cassidy and MacDonald 2007;Deng and Wu 2020;Furnham and Bradley 1997;Küssner 2017;lim, Furnham, and Mcclelland 2022), using mental arithmetic test, Raven's test, verbal reasoning test, visual response test, visual pursuit test performances. eysenck's (1981) personality theory suggests that introverted individuals perform well in cases with non-or moderate stimulus intensity for tasks of a certain difficulty, but perform poorly with more intense stimuli and stress. ...
This experimental research explored background music's influence on the performance of numerical and spatial location working memory of extraverts and introverts. Sixty participants (30 extraverts and 30 introverts) were asked to complete numerical and spatial location working memory tests, under the conditions of background music and silence. Results showed a main negative effect of background music on the participants' performance of spatial location working memory. A significant interaction effect between music and personality (extroversion and introversion) on this performance was also observed. It revealed that a more negative effect of music in introverts as compared with extroverts. In contrast, no main or interaction effect was observed for the performance of numerical working memory. According to the influence of music on working memory, introversion-extraversion personality factors of workers such as cashiers or drivers require consideration.
... The application of the Minimize threats and distractions (7.3) checkpoint in the course design involved leveraging the affordances provided by YouTube. While what is threatening or distracting may vary from learner to learner, UDL proposes that presence of background noise or visual stimulation, noise buffers, number of features or items presented at a time have to be optimized to offer a conducive learning environment to learners and generate their interest [27]. One significant feature of YouTube utilized to apply this strategy was the ability to add timestamps to videos. ...
This paper explores the pursuit of addressing diverse learner needs in education, specifically online learning through application of digital tools to implement Universal design for Learning (UDL). It describes the integration of nine UDL checkpoints in "The Digital Teacher" course, an online course offered by UNESCO MGIEP. Eleven free or freemium digital tools are utilized to operationalize each UDL checkpoint. The paper describes how the affordances of these tools enables educators to offer learners alternatives for auditory and visual information, illustrate content through multiple media, activate background knowledge, vary methods for response and navigation, support planning and strategy development, minimize threats and distractions, foster collaboration and community, and facilitate self-assessment and reflection. It highlights how this approach enhances learner engagement, content comprehension, navigation, and expression. Overall, the paper emphasizes the potential of digital tools to effectively operationalize UDL checkpoints and to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of online learning. It provides valuable insights for educators seeking to create inclusive and effective online learning environments.
... However, the genre and complexity of the music are critical factors; for instance, overly complex or distracting music may impair problem-solving by splitting attention between the task and the auditory stimulus (Cassidy & MacDonald, 2007). ...
This thesis investigates the impact of background music on cognitive performance and emotional experiences within classroom environments, guided by the Dual Coding Theory and the Arousal and Mood Hypothesis. These theories suggest that auditory stimuli can simultaneously engage cognitive processes and emotional responses, thereby influencing learning outcomes. The primary objective of this research is to explore how background music affects students' cognitive and emotional states and to determine its efficacy as an educational tool in diverse learning environments. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study engaged a sample of 100 undergraduate design students from a private university, utilizing random sampling to ensure a representative demographic spread. Quantitative data were collected through surveys using a five-point Likert scale to assess students' perceptions and cognitive responses to background music. Qualitative insights were derived from open-ended questions, enriching the quantitative data and providing nuanced views on the emotional impact of music. The analysis revealed that background music significantly enhances cognitive performance and emotional well-being in students who prefer background music, demonstrating improved concentration and reduced anxiety during tasks. Conversely, for students with low preference or tolerance for background music, the effects can be detrimental, leading to increased distraction and emotional distress. These findings highlight the importance of individual differences in auditory sensitivity and music preference in educational settings. The study contributes to educational psychology by demonstrating that the strategic use of background music can significantly alter learning dynamics. However, it also emphasizes the need for educators to tailor auditory environments to individual preferences and the specific context to maximize educational outcomes. The thesis concludes with recommendations for integrating music thoughtfully into educational practices and suggests areas for future research to further delineate the boundaries of music’s impact on learning.
... Converging evidence points to extraversion/introversion playing a role in how background music influences performance, with extraverts having an increased benefit or decreased detriment from music compared to introverts (e.g. Cassidy & MacDonald, 2007;Dobbs et al., 2011;Furnham & Allass, 1999;Proverbio et al., 2018). Extraverts, who proposedly have a lower base arousal than introverts (Eysenck, 1963), may infer greater benefit from music-induced arousal. ...
The degree of stimulation provided by background music appears to affect performance on cognitive tasks. Moreover, individual differences influence what degree of stimulation is beneficial or detrimental. In a within-subject design, 40 participants (Mean Age: 26.15, SD: 2.99) completed cognitive tasks (immediate and delayed recall, phonemic fluency, trail-making) under varying (2 tempi: fast/slow×2 valences: positive/negative) musical background conditions. Further, they completed questionnaires on individual differences (extraversion, noise sensitivity, annoyance/distraction by background noise). Performance was assessed using analyses of variance and mixed-effect models. Sensitivity analyses adjusted for stimulus liking and further individual characteristics. Fast (vs. slow) tempo was associated with better immediate recall (p = .002, η² = .08) and phonemic fluency (p < .001, η² = .16). Positive (vs. negative) valence was also associated with better immediate recall (p < .001, η² = .10) and phonemic fluency (p < .001, η² = .10). The association of positive valence with phonemic fluency was attenuated in those with above average Annoyance/Distraction by Background Noise. The latter also had a slower performance in the trail making test under positive background music. The association of fast tempo with verbal fluency was stronger among those scoring high in Noise Sensitivity. Overall, our results suggest that, with regard to concurrent cognitive performance, fast tempo, positively valenced background music is preferable over slow, negatively valenced background music. A deeper understanding of inter-individual differences could allow further individualisation of background music for cognitive task performance.
The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of the effects of active and passive music engagement on cognitive development. Out of the 66 studies uncovered by the initial search, methods, and conclusions of 12 quantitative, 2 qualitative, and 12 review studies were analyzed. The present review shows active music engagement may improve cognitive skills in near transfer domains, such as verbal and motor skills, as well as auditory discrimination. Improvements in distant transfer domains have also been reported, such as enhanced general IQ, memory skills, numeracy and spatial skills, executive skills, and problem-solving. Benefits for affective and social skill development have also been shown for both active and passive music engagement, while passive engagement is specifically beneficial in clinical settings. However, there are studies that don’t report significant effects. Potential sources of bias are further explored, suggesting that this field may be victim to confirmation and publication bias. Method variety in measurements, sample size, and intervention length, along with the lack of methodological rigor and control groups, prevent us from concluding a direct causal relationship between music engagement and cognitive development. Implications for controlling confounding factors and identifying potential moderator mechanisms are discussed.
Researchers have cited the need to account for subordinates in the leadership process, and the leader–team fit paradigm provides a framework for simultaneously considering the characteristics of leaders and those of their subordinate teams. Drawing on extraversion personality theory stipulating extraversion's implications on motivation and communication styles and preferences, we seek to add nuance to the study of a trait that has been widely assumed to exert positive effects in leaders and teams. Integrating theorizing on extraversion and fit, we posit in this research that counterproductive leader and team behaviors will be associated with misfit leader–team pairings in which extraversion incongruence exists (leaders higher in extraversion paired with teams lower in extraversion or leaders lower in extraversion paired with teams higher in extraversion). We test our predictions in a time‐lagged field survey study of leaders and their respective teams in the nuclear power industry, using polynomial regression analyses to find support for hypotheses about the association of leader–team extraversion incongruence and detrimental leader (use of pressure influence tactics) and team (deviance directed at the organization) behaviors. We discuss the implications of our findings for research and practice on leaders, teams, deviance, and extraversion.
In recent years, with the widespread adoption of remote work alongside traditional office work, the challenge of sharing the office atmosphere remotely has become evident. This difficulty has raised concerns about a lack of solidarity, a sense of belonging, and an increase in psychological stress among remote workers. People can imagine the atmosphere of a place from its sounds, but it is not clear from which sounds they imagine the atmosphere. In this study, we attempt to analyze the sound field context information of office spaces in order to clarify the sounds that constitute the atmosphere. First, we categorize the sound field context based on voice recordings made in a simulated office environment. Next, we analyze the influence of the sound context information and individual characteristics on the impression based on the sound impression evaluation experiment. Finally, we conduct a psychological experiment to evaluate the categorized sound field context information. The results revealed that the sound field context information can be categorized by individuality and context, and that sounds with higher resolution in these two areas are more likely to leave a lasting impression on people. On the other hand, we found that sounds that were too explicit were perceived as bothersome by people at work and decreased their subjective work efficiency compared to quieter conditions.
Introduction. Background music is often used during mental work; however, whether it genuinely aids in these tasks or is simply a habit that may decrease work productivity is a question requiring investigation. Literature data indicate a multifaceted influence of musical accompaniment on cognitive functions, depending on genre, musical experience, properties of human nervous processes, which may result from individual variability of neural reactions to music. The aim of the study is to examine the influence of background music on tasks requiring attention concentration and to elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these processes through the analysis of brain electrical activity. Methods. The study involved 20 students aged 18 to 25 years. Attention assessment was carried out based on the results of the "correction test." EEG was recorded during attention tests in silence and during background classical music. Group comparative analysis of spectral power was conducted in the following frequency ranges: theta (4-7.49 Hz), alpha-1 (7.5 - 9.9 Hz), alpha-2 (10-12.9 Hz), beta-1 (13-23.9 Hz), beta-2 (24-35 Hz). Results. It was found that background music led to a decrease in speed, the overall number of letters viewed and crossed out in the correction test compared to performance without music. The number of errors and attention concentration indicators did not differ with and without music. Task performance with background music was accompanied by a decrease in EEG spectral power in theta and beta-2 frequency ranges compared to a similar task without music. Conclusions. Background music worsened task performance but did not affect its accuracy, indicating interference between auditory and visual stimulus processing. The reduction in EEG spectral power in theta and beta-2 frequency ranges during the correction test with background music reflects a decrease in working memory load and stress levels. Such changes may be a consequence of reduced task novelty and the calming influence of pleasant music. The use of music as a background for mental work remains a controversial idea due to the decrease in work.
The social contexts in which people create, perform, perceive, understand and react to music have been neglected by psychologists. This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the social contexts in which people create, perform, perceive, understand, and react to music. It represents the first attempt to define the field since Farnsworth's book of the same title published in 1969, including the newer areas of medicine, marketing, and education in which the social psychology of music has direct applications in the real world. After an opening review chapter, the remaining 14 chapters are divided into six sections: individual differences; social groups and situations; social and cultural influences; developmental issues; musicianship; real world applications. Several of these chapters are ground-breaking reviews published for the first time. Aside from psychologists and music educators, The Social Psychology of Music will appeal to musicians, communications researchers, broadcasters, and commercial companies.
The social contexts in which people create, perform, perceive, understand and react to music have been neglected by psychologists. This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the social contexts in which people create, perform, perceive, understand, and react to music. It represents the first attempt to define the field since Farnsworth's book of the same title published in 1969, including the newer areas of medicine, marketing, and education in which the social psychology of music has direct applications in the real world. After an opening review chapter, the remaining 14 chapters are divided into six sections: individual differences; social groups and situations; social and cultural influences; developmental issues; musicianship; real world applications. Several of these chapters are ground-breaking reviews published for the first time. Aside from psychologists and music educators, The Social Psychology of Music will appeal to musicians, communications researchers, broadcasters, and commercial companies.
Music is a tremendously powerful channel through which people develop their personal and social identities. Music is used to communicate emotions, thoughts, political statements, social relationships, and physical expressions. But, just as language can mediate the construction and negotiation of developing identities, so music can also be a means of communication through which aspects of people's identities are constructed. Music can have a profound influence on our developing sense of identity, our values, and our beliefs, whether from rock music, classical music, or jazz. Different research studies in social and developmental psychology are beginning to chart the various ways in which these processes occur, and this is the first book to examine the relationship between music and identity. The first section focuses on Developing Musical Identities, and deals with the ways in which individuals involved in musical participation develop personal identities that are intrinsically musical. Chapters include: 'The self identity of young musicians', 'Musical identities and the school environment' and 'Personal identity and music: a family perspective'. The second section deals with Developing Identities Through Music and contains chapters on 'Gender identity and music', 'National identity and music' and 'Music as a catalyst for changing personal identity'. This is the first book to deal with musical identity from a psychological perspective, and will be fascinating and important reading for postgraduate and research psychologists in social, developmental, and music psychology. The book will also appeal to those within the applied fields of health and educational psychology, music education, and music therapy.
The current study looked at the distracting effects of ‘pop music’ on introverts' and extraverts' performance on various cognitive tasks. It was predicted that there would be a main effect for music and an interaction effect with introverts performing less well in the presence of music than extraverts. Ten introverts and ten extraverts were given two tests (a memory test with immediate and delayed recall and a reading comprehension test), which were completed, either while being exposed to pop music, or in silence. The results showed that there was a detrimental effect on immediate recall on the memory test for both groups when music was played, and two of the three interactions were significant. After a 6-minute interval the introverts who had memorized the objects in the presence of the pop music had a significantly lower recall than the extraverts in the same condition and the introverts who had observed them in silence. The introverts who completed a reading comprehension task when music was being played also performed significantly less well than these two groups. These findings have implications for the study habits of introverts when needing to retain or process complex information. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The personality dimensions of extraversion and neuroticism, which are defined at the descriptive level of Eysenck’s system, have been linked to constructs at an explanatory level which are common to hypothetical deductive models in perception, learning, motivation, memory and emotion. As a comprehensive personality system, it is commendable for the attempt to relate personability dimensions to the biological foundations of individual differences in those fundamental psychological processes. The excitation-inhibition hypothesis which was proposed by Eysenck in 1957 referred in particular to the hypothetical constructs of excitation and inhibition which were drawn from those concepts as they were employed by Pavlov (1927) and Hull (1943). Excitation and inhibition were conceived as hypothetical neural processes upon which the acquisition and extinction of behaviour depended. If introverts were characterized by higher levels of cortical excitability and lower levels of cortical inhibition than extraverts, they would be expected to display enhanced sensitivity and efficiency in the processing of sensory stimulation and in conditioning. It was also proposed that such constitutional dispositions may account for individual differences in the social and psychiatric behaviour of introverts and extraverts. The excitation-inhibition hypothesis provoked a good deal of controversy, much of it still unresolved, but the proposal served an important discipline-bridging function and provided a useful and necessary framework for the exploration of the foundations of individual differences in extraversion and neuroticism.