Music Instructions and Cognitive Abilities - Research Paper Example

Mozart Effect: Music Instructions and Cognitive/Learning Abilities Mozart Effect: Music Instructions and Cognitive/Learning Abilities The importance of listening to music has been acknowledged for decades due to the benefits it brings to human souls. The recent decade has seen endless studies getting conducted to unearth the contribution of music instructions to the cognitive abilities of children and adults. Music instruction has been studied under the umbrella of Mozart effect to know the cognitive benefits of participation in musical activities. Mozart effect has been studied under the avenues of music listening and instruction and respective impact on cognitive performance. Essentially, the investigation of music instruction and its impact on cognitive or learning abilities is critical. Gathering considerable evidence that Mozart effect area of music instruction improves or affects various cognitive practices in adults and children is of great significance. The performance of in languages, academic achievement, sight or thinking, should be investigated based on the findings of the recent studies. The consistency of music instructions has been noted in recent years in different education and health centers. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the effects of music instruction on cognitive or learning abilities for adults and children based on the studies conducted within the last two years. An Aid to Second Language Learning Music training that emphasizes on the use of background music is an aid to second language learning. According to Kang & Williamson (2013) presence of music, is an ingredient for good and bad performance when cognitive tasks are carried out simultaneously. Music instructions that have a low complex in terms of volume and sound level help in improving performance among learners pursuing a second language. The study was based on past research that discounted the role of artificial stimuli on short-term recognition among college learners. Kang & Williamson (2013) used the data from language class observed for two weeks. The participants in the study were students pursuing mandarin, and Arabic languages. Musical training was used as a component of learning, and it increased verbal intelligence and working memory ability for the students (Kang & Williamson, 2013). The students were picked at random and confirmed that background music has a significant effect on the ability of students to figure out second language. Music instructions or the presence of a music component in any learning setting can increase the ability to learn and do tasks. Participants showed profound improvements in the way they recalled Arabic or Chinese translations, spellings and word order contained in a CD. Advanced In Consciousness Disorder Treatment Patients with disorders can improve consciousness when nursing care incorporates varies music instruction components (Castro et al., 2015). A study carried out in a healthcare setting with patients with cerebral processing problems indicated that they can cope with the consciousness disorders if they listened to music. The study found out that patients do not need exclusive medical care, but they can also use artificial stimuli to speed up the process of recovering from disorders. Castro et al. (2015) collected data from 13 patients who had consciousness disorders and used an environment with different conditions of music sound. However, there were unfavorable outcomes that showed that indeed adults and children patients have different receptions for music instructions. The music conditions used by caregivers could be used to boost the response of patients with consciousness disorders. Castro et al. (2015) conducted a successful study where the majority of the patients responded positively to the music conditions. Music instructions do not realize positive outcomes all the time, but the study reached a noticeable conclusion about the effect music instruction on cognitive abilities. The cognitive processes of the consciousness disorder patients are in tandem with the kind of music components used. The components must match with the emotional and relevance or an individual. Brain Performance The brain responds positively to a particular type of music. While Castro et al. (2015) found out that music components or conditions that match the relevance and emotional needs of an individual, Colucci (2014) concluded that the cognitive abilities of the brain respond to music. The study that was carried out to understand the Mozart Effects observed human brains that were predisposed to information processing platforms. The researcher added music to the information-processing unit. Music instructions utilize complex patterns and activities, but they help to wire the brain appropriately. Senses and perceptual experiences are initiated in the brain, but they work better when music training is incorporated. Colucci (2014) argues that music training can change the way the brain anatomical structures are arranged. Evidence from magnetic resonance imaging showed improved performance from the musician. Music instructions used or given in a quite environment increase the activity rate because the brain releases endorphins that soothe individuals. Additionally, the level of information management increases with the way the brain is predisposed to music conditions. According to Colucci, (2014) cortical excitation enables the brain to synthesize information leading to increased need for learning. The realization has paved the way for learning lessons that use music therapy to boost understanding. The study also recognized the ability of modern music training to help caregivers treat patients with disorders involving hallucinations. Colucci (2014) acknowledges the role of music instructions on patient treatment because it is a component that is available for a lifetime. The component can be used to perk up the cognitive abilities for auditory patients. Progress in Normal Learning Music lessons boost performance for 12-14-year-old children in academics, and cognitive ability tests (Dege, Wehrum, Stark & Schwarzer, 2014). There is a close link between music lessons and academic achievement for children. Using music lessons to improve the IQ tests for 12-14-year-old children is a reliable method in any learning environment. The study confirmed that IQ tests for the children improved considerably when they were predisposed to frequent music lessons. The performance also extends to academic lessons that play a crucial role in the lives of young children. Dege, Wehrum, Stark & Schwarzer (2014) measures the IQ and academic self-concepts for the children from different backgrounds. The social-economic status or the gender of children did not affect the way they responded to music lessons. The significance contribution of music instructions among 12-14-year-old children is critical because it can be used to improve learning in academic settings. Dege, Wehrum, Stark & Schwarzer (2014) argue that academic achievement varies with the personality of each child because they have different orientations to music. The noteworthy association between music instructions and lessons given to children helped to affirm that learning abilities are vulnerable to juvenile familiar activities. The authors did not reveal the direction of the causation, but the realization of academic achievement among the children was essential given the dilemma that Mozart Effect poses to researchers. Auditory Attention Music instructions improve auditory attention among adults and children. Strait, Slater, O’Connell & Kraus (2015) examined the effect of music training in the development of neural mechanisms that shape cognitive functions. The study capitalized on the adult and children with musical and non-musical background. Music training alters the way the neural mechanisms develop responses among adults and children. The participants revealed selective attention and inhibitory control that was thought to have changed from childhood to adulthood. The impact is more rampant in school-aged children than in adults and pre-schooling children. The improvement in attention is an indication that music instructions can change the way adults and children respond to stimuli. Strait, Slater, O’Connell & Kraus (2015) found out that cortical mechanism improves with age. Children are involved in extra activities that require auditory attention as they progress in age. The attention level varies from one individual to another due to genetic predisposition, and they improve when music-based interventions are used in a learning environment. The auditory strength that children acquire during childhood benefits them when they reach adulthood. Rochette, Moussard & Bigand (2014) found out music instructions given during music lessons can improve cognitive performance among deaf children. The study also capitalized on the auditory perception among deaf children and found that deaf children perform better in rehabilitation programs that use musical training. The children performance increases when music lessons are offer frequently. The level of performance in linguistic tasks differs from one group of children to another. The auditory perception also increases with the richness of the music training sessions. Music becomes an avenue through which deaf children can develop listening strategies and improve the way they communicate with people without auditory disabilities. Speech Perception among Children Speech perception is a measure of development among children and adults of a particular age. According to Schellenberg, (2015) genes do not have an isolated impact in the way individuals perceive speech. Incorporation of music training has its benefits effects to the individuals develop verbal, visual, working memory, IQ, and speech perception activities. Music instructions or lessons offered at a young age helps children to develop their aptitude and is associated with cognitive and personality improvements. Though genetics determines IQ and personality largely, the benefit is larger for children who take up music instructions during childhood. Gene synchronizes the musical environment and changes brain plasticity (Schellenberg, 2015). Children perform better in school and respond to tests quicker than their counterparts who learn from a normal environment. Improved Literary Skills Low-income children register improve literacy skills when they are predisposed to group music instructions (Slater et al., 2014). The academic careers for low-income children have low success rate than their high-income counterparts. Slater et al. (2014) observed 42 low-income students from Spanish and English origins and found out that attending music training boosted their learning and language skills. The track among low-income children could be used to make recommendations for using music programs to change negative attitudes towards learning. The study for 6-9-year-old children from Los Angeles confirmed that music instructions provide value in the learning environment and can be used to counter low literacy development among children from low-income backgrounds. Conclusion Music lessons promote learning and acquisition of language or literacy skills from individuals of diverse divides. The ability to perceive speech and auditory tasks works improves where music instructions are given. Not only does the concept provide benefits in the learning settings but it also in healthcare units. Patients with consciousness disorders respond positively to music audio components that match their emotional and personal relevance. Increased participation of children and adults in music instructions boosts their ability to perform in cognitive and academic work. However, researchers should also focus on specific music instructions that influence cognitive or learning abilities among adults and children. References Castro, M., Tillmann, B., Luaute, J., Corneyllie, A., Dailler, F., Andre-Obadia, N., & Perrin, F. (2015). Boosting Cognition With Music in Patients With Disorders of Consciousness. Neurorehabilitation And Neural Repair. doi:10.1177/1545968314565464 Colucci, D. (2014). The Mozart Effect. The Hearing Journal, 67(10), 56. doi:10.1097/01.hj.0000455834.42735.51 Dege, F., Wehrum, S., Stark, R., & Schwarzer, G. (2014). Music lessons and academic self-concept in 12- to 14-year-old children. Musicae Scientiae, 18(2), 203-215. doi:10.1177/1029864914523283 Kang, H., & Williamson, V. (2013). Background music can aid second language learning. Psychology Of Music, 42(5), 728-747. doi:10.1177/0305735613485152 Rochette, F., Moussard, A., & Bigand, E. (2014). Music Lessons Improve Auditory Perceptual and Cognitive Performance in Deaf Children. Front. Hum. Neurosci., 8. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.00488 Schellenberg, E. (2015). Music training and speech perception: a gene-environment interaction. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1337(1), 170-177. doi:10.1111/nyas.12627 Slater, J., Strait, D., Skoe, E., OConnell, S., Thompson, E., & Kraus, N. (2014). Longitudinal Effects of Group Music Instruction on Literacy Skills in Low-Income Children. Plos ONE, 9(11), e113383. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113383 Strait, D., Slater, J., O’Connell, S., & Kraus, N. (2015). Music training relates to the development of neural mechanisms of selective auditory attention. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 12, 94-104. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2015.01.001 Read More