Previous attempts by various researchers to replicate the enhancement of spatial performance following 10 min. exposure to music have been inconsistent in their findings. In the present study 16 subjects showed reliable improvement on a paper-folding-and-cutting task after listening to Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, as employed by others. The enhanced performance was also noted for 16 other subjects after listening to a contemporary selection having similar musical characteristics. In both cases the control procedure included 10 min. of listening to a progressive relaxation tape.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CarstensC. B.HuskinsE., & HounshellG. W. (1995) Listening to Mozart may not enhance performance on the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test. Psychological Reports, 77, 111–114.
2.
LezakM. D. (1995) Neuropsychological assessment. (3rd ed.) New York: Oxford Univer. Press.
3.
NewmanJ.RosenbachJ. H.BurnsK. L.LatimerB. C.MatochaH. R., & VogtE. R. (1995) An experimental test of “the Mozart effect”: does listening to his music improve spatial ability?Perceptual and Motor Skills, 81, 1379–1387.
4.
RauscherF. H.ShawG. L., & KyK. (1993) Music and spatial task performance. Nature, 365, 611.
5.
RauscherF. H.ShawG. L., & KyK. N. (1995) Listening to Mozart enhances spatial-temporal reasoning: towards a neurophysiological basis. Neuroscience Letters, 185, 44–47.
6.
RauscherF. H.ShawG. L.LevineL. J.KyK. N., & WrightE. L. (1994) Music and spatial task performance: a causal relationship. Presented at the American Psychological Association 102nd Annual Convention in Los Angeles, CA.
7.
RideoutB. E., & LaubachC. M. (1996) EEG correlates of enhanced spatial performance following exposure to music. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 82, 427–432.
8.
RideoutB. E., & TaylorJ. (1997) Enhanced spatial performance following 10 minutes exposure to music: a replication. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85, 112–114.
9.
SteeleK. M.BallT. N., & RunkR. (1997) Listening to Mozart does not enhance backwards digit span performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 84, 1179–1184.
10.
StoughC.KerkinB.BatesT., & ManganG. (1994) Music and spatial IQ. Personality and Individual Differences, 17, 695.
11.
ThorndikeR. L.HagenE. P., & SattlerJ. M. (1986) The Stanford-Binet Scale of Intelligence. Chicago, IL: Riverside.
