Mozarts Two Piano Sonata in D Major - Research Paper Example

Rauscher et al carried out their research experiment based on the hypothesis that a co relational relationship existed between the music perception of the brain and cognitive functions such as spatial and mathematical reasoning. However, it is important to note that there exists no proven causal relationship between improved cognitive functions and music perception. The independent variables for the experiment were conditions of relaxation music- meant to lower blood pressure, a condition of silence and lastly, a condition of Mozart’s two piano sonata in D major(K448) (Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993). The experiment subjects were each exposed to the all three conditions of relaxation music, silence and Mozart’s composition and then asked to take three tests out of the Stanford-Binet intelligence test scale involving pattern analysis, paper folding and a multiple choice matrices test. The controlled variables for the experiment were noise and use of the standardized test. The variable of noise was controlled by use of a room that was sound proof keeping out noise from the external environment. Standardized tests were used for this experiment to equally evaluate and analyze the dependent variable. Additionally, standardized tests enable the group of researchers to draw comparisons between the research variables. The research experiment was carried out on 36 university students where they were each exposed to ten minute periods of the three conditions and thereafter asked to take a standardized test- Stanford-Binet intelligence test. The tasks testing spatial and abstract reasoning included pattern analysis, multiple choice paper folding and cutting test and multiple choice matrices test (Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993). The subjects scored an average of 119 points, 111 points and 110 points on spatial IQ for the Sonata condition, relaxation music condition and silence condition respectively. There was a difference of between 8 to 9 points in the IQ of the subjects after the sonata condition as compared to the other two conditions. The test subjects were only able to maintain the high IQ points for the duration of the test. The experimenters checked the subject’s pulses before and after exposure to each of the conditions and concluded that arousal had no role to play with the higher IQ scores. This proves the validity of the results as the independent variable- Mozart Piano Sonata results in increased IQ scores in subjects. The effects of the conditions are observable and are seen in the raised IQ scores after the ten minute duration of listening to the sonata condition. The researchers explained the enhanced effect to be temporal (Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993). They attributed increased IQ scores to listening to Mozart’s piano sonata. The experiment findings support their hypothesis that there indeed is a co relation between cognitive functions and music perception. The change in IQ scores is attributed to music perception priming many areas of the brain including those responsible for spatial reasoning resulting in overlap of these areas (Jenkins, 2001). Other researchers who have conducted research based on the research of Rauscher et al discovered that listening to music had a significant effect on epileptics. In one such experiment an unconscious male with 62 per cent epileptic activity was exposed to the same musical composition and the epileptic activity dropped by than more half to 21 per cent. In two other test subjects, activity was between 90 and 100 per cent before exposure to the musical composition but after only five minutes of exposure activity dropped to 50 per cent (Jenkins, 2001). In another experiment involving an 8 year old girl with Lennox Gastaut, childhood epilepsy, pro longed exposure to Mozart’s sonata resulted in a reduction of clinical seizures from 9 in the first 4 hours to 1 in the last five hours of her wakeful hours. She was exposed to the condition for 10 minutes for every hour she was awake (Jenkins, 2001). Similarly this experiment has shed light on positive effects of music on spatial reasoning and performing mathematic problems. In an experiment on 3 and 4 year old who were given key board lessons for six months then subjected to spatial temporal reasoning tests performed better than counterparts who were given computer lessons for six months (Jenkins, 2001). Similarly, children who took piano playing lessons had improved mathematics scores at school. This experiment highlights the importance and need for musical therapy when dealing with victims of brain trauma, autistic children and individuals who suffer from learning disabilities. Though this experiment is not a remedy to cognitive disabilities it can be used to strengthen these functions through extensive exposure to individuals which may lead to significant improvements to their disabilities or aid them to recover back to normalcy. It is key to note that this research experiment did not take individual differences in spatial ability into consideration when conducting this experiment. Spatial ability is reasoning capability involving capacity to think of objects in three dimensions and the ability to make conclusions from partial information. Moreover, an individual may be intelligent with proper reasoning skills but lack spatial abilities. With this in mind, this experiment cannot be generalized to all individuals due to the dynamic nature of people’s abilities. For these reasons there are adjustments that can be made to the experiment to make it more generaliseable to the greater population. The first variation to be considered in the experiment is the type of music played in the conditions. The music played should be varied to other genres other than classical music so as to investigate whether they elicit similar effects on subjects and the cognitive functioning. Musical aspects such as rhythm, pitch intervals, being instrumental or acoustic should be considered in order to make a general conclusion that it is indeed music that causes variations in cognitive functions or is it solely classical music that enhances these functions. The sample of experiment subjects needs to be varied in terms of the individual characteristics of the participants. The participants should be of different races, social classes, and different occupations and from different backgrounds. Drawing subjects from a wider pool ensures that they have different tastes in music and this will also rule out possibilities that these individuals have appreciation of music skewed to classical music alone. With regard to appreciation of music it would also be important to include individuals who have backgrounds in music so as to be able to draw comparisons with non musical subjects in terms of their musical appreciation inclining them to experience enhanced cognitive effects. References Jenkins, J. S. (2001). The Mozzart Effect. Joural of the Royal Society of Medicine , 170-172. Rauscher, F. H., Shaw, G. L., & Ky, K. N. (1993). Music and Task Performance. Nature , 611. Read More