The Mozart Effect, Hard Science or Hype?

The Mozart Effect, Hard Science or Hype?

  • Submitted By: Mimooza
  • Date Submitted: 11/18/2009 3:58 PM
  • Category: Science
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The "Mozart Effect": Hard Science or Hype
Andrew Gorman (agorman@cs.colorado.edu )
Department of Computer Science and Institute of Cognitive Science University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0430 Abstract
The positive effects of the music of Wolfgang Amadaus Mozart on spatial reasoning ability have become a popular topic. Some studies suggest that listening to Mozart has a short-term positive effect on spatial IQ. Others suggest that prenatal and early childhood exposure to music can lead to long-term positive effects. However, some attempts to duplicate and generalize these findings have failed. This paper explores the research behind such claims in an attempt to demystify the current hype.

Introduction
The positive effects of the music of Wolfgang Amadaus Mozart on spatial reasoning ability have become a popular topic. Some studies suggest that listening to Mozart has a short-term positive effect on spatial IQ (Nantais, 1997; Nguyen, Shaw, & Tran, 1996; Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993; Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1995; Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Ky, & Wright, 1994; Rideout, Dougherty, & Wernert, 1998; Rideout & Taylor, 1997; Wilson & Brown, 1997). Others suggest that prenatal and early childhood exposure to music can lead to long-term positive effects (Costa-Goimi, 1997; Douglas & Willatts, 1994; Hurwitz, Wolff, Bortnick, & Kokas, 1975; Rauscher, Robinson, & Jens, submitted 1998; Rauscher et al., 1997; Spychiger, 1993). These studies have led to broad claims in the popular press that view this as a panacea. For example, a popular news broadcast has reported that, "anyone can benefit from this" (NBC News, 1994, September 1). Further unqualified claims have stated that "It (music) clears our minds and has been known to make us smarter." (Campbell, 1997, p. 1) However, not all researchers would agree and many efforts to duplicate and generalize this effect have been either unsuccessful (Kenealy, 1994; Newman et al., 1995; Steele, Ball, & Runk, 1997; Stough, Kerkin, Bates,...

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