Sound Project Statistics - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages Music, especially rhythmical music from the classical period, has been found to enhance learning and retention (Tomatis, 1991; Gilmore, 1999; Sollier, 2005). Hallam, Price, and Katsaru (2002) studied the effects of relaxing music on primary school children and found that it helps in better performance in arithmetic and memory retention. Alternatively, Furnham and Strbac (2002) reported there was a significant differential effect of background noise and music on reading comprehension among introverts and extroverts.
        Lesiuk (2005) found a positive relationship between music with work performance at the workplace. This study was done among computer system developers. However, there are conflicting pieces of evidence of whether music helps in all working environments. In an old study among employees in a skateboard factory, Newman, Hunt, and Rhodes (1966) found that while employees are favorable to music being played, their measured productivity does not improve. There is also evidence in more recent studies that while calming music contributes to productivity, not all types of music may be beneficial.
           The studies of factors which affect the workplaces have received considerable attention in recent times (Brief & Weiss, 2002). It has been noted that, in general, music is conducive to enhanced productivity. In a very well designed experiment involving 256 employees in a large retail organization, holding 32 different clerical and administrative jobs including data entry, correspondence, and account analysis, it was found that employees in routine jobs can pay more attention to music and can benefit from it. But employees involved in complex jobs do not pay attention to the music being played, and therefore cannot enjoy its beneficial effect, if any (Oldham, Cummings, Mischel, Schmidtke, & Zhou, 1996). Music may actually not be harmful, but under the given condition, it is ineffective. For employees working in a hospital, the level of accuracy required is very high. It has been discussed in a review article that nursing and medical accuracy decreases with the level of increasing noise (Chaudhury, Mahmood & Valente, 2009).   ...Download file to see next pagesRead More