2nd post: MUSIC
People often don’t think about the effects of music. They just listen to it because they enjoy it or enjoy the way they feel when listening (Decker 2010). Actually a study found that people listen to music most because they enjoyed it (Decker 2010). So what is it that they enjoy? Perhaps, the way it makes them feel.
Today, investigators in a variety of fields including neuroscience, anthropology, and psychology are coming closer to identifying and quantifying how music works on the brain, affects our consciousness, behavior and culture, entertains us, enriches our emotional lives, and communicates in ways we can never quite verbalize.
Studies have proved that music causes psychological, physiological, and behaviors. The findings of a study which played a variety of different music showed that arousal was greatest for pop music than for classical music (Decker 2010). Other studies showed that music increases heart rate, blood pressure, muscles tensions, and respiration rate (Decker 2010). Finally, several studies found a relationship between negative behavior such as: behavioral problems, violent acts, drug or alcohol use, arrests and sexual promiscuity as a result of listening to rap or heavy metal (Psychology 2008).
So, how does music make you feel and what do you do? Do you listen to music when you are sad and then feel happy or do you listen to music when you are happy and then feel sad? Do you listen to music and then feel too aroused or too depressed. Do you cry when you listen to music or do you scream? I guess the answer to this is what music you listen to and what mood you’re in.
I love music which is why I choose to write about this topic. It is innate and also a result of my environment. Not one day went by in my house when my mother did not play music in the house and today I do the same. Music however is very important for the Hispanic culture because it is our ritual and a form of bonding. We take much pride in music and being without it is like not living.
Please see the attached video and pay attention how
you feel after every song played. Enjoy!
This next video talks about how the
brain reacts to music and they show images of the brain too.
I can relate to this especially when it comes to doing homework or studying. I can't find it at the moment but I read a study that states listening to music while doing homework for example doesn't improve concentration. I don't agree with that. When I'm studying for a test I find it almost impossible to feel concentrated or motivated without listening to my favorite music.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting that you mention that because i am always telling my son to stop listening to music when he is doing his homework, however, he tells me that it does help him concentrate. I do hear music when I’m doing homework but I listen to relaxing music and he listens to arousing music like r & b, reggae and so on. I still can't imagine how he does it. If it were me, I’d be too much into the music instead of my homework. I would definitely start to sing and dance. LOL... But thats me.
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