STUDYING TO MUSIC?
Walk into any school library during exam season and you will see rows of students with earphones in their ears. According to recent surveys, close to three out of four teenagers have music on while they do schoolwork, and plenty of adults keep a playlist running at the office. It doesn't end there: people play songs on the bus, during workouts at the gym and in the kitchen as they prepare dinner. For many of us, a quiet moment has become rare.(lines 1–5)
A lot of young people are convinced that a good playlist makes it easier to stay focused on their work. But are they right? Picture yourself reviewing a history chapter one evening while your favorite band plays in the background. The following morning, a friend asks you to sum up the chapter's main arguments. Could you do it? Would you even be able to name the people and dates it mentioned? Chances are you would struggle. According to educational psychologist Dr. Nora Adler, lyrics compete with the page for the brain's attention. "Some part of you is always processing the words of the song, whether you realize it or not," she says. "But you can only understand a text in depth when it gets your full attention."(lines 6–13)
Scientists have put this claim to the test. In one experiment, university students were given a short article on the history of a city and told to remember as much of it as possible. Half of them read with popular songs playing through their earphones, while the rest read in a silent room. Twenty-four hours later, every participant was handed a twenty-question quiz on the article. The students from the silent room scored noticeably higher than the ones who had read with music.(lines 14–19)
Music is not always bad news, however. A second study gave volunteers a dull but easy job: sorting a big pile of cards by color and number. One group sorted the cards in silence; another did the same while upbeat music without lyrics was playing. Those who had music completed the job more quickly than the silent group. On the other hand, their work contained more errors.(lines 20–23)
Does this mean that every study session must take place in total silence? Adler doesn't think so, but she recommends a clear rule. "Preparing for a test is a time to concentrate on what you are reading and to take notes, so keep that time free of songs," she says. "Play music only during easy jobs, such as tidying your desk, to make them more enjoyable. Then the music can lift your mood without stealing your attention – and the material you study is far more likely to stay with you."(lines 24–29)