Listening to Mozart does not enhance backwards digit span performance

Author(s): Ball, T. N., Runk, R.

Journal/Book: Percept Mot Skills. 1997; 84: 1179-84.

Abstract: Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky recently reported that exposure to brief periods of music by Mozart produced a temporary increase in performance on tasks taken from the Stanford- Binet Intelligence Scale-IV. The present study examined whether this effect occurred in performance on a backwards digit span task. In a within-subjects design 36 undergraduates were exposed to 10-min. periods of Mozart music, a recording of rain, or silence. After each stimulus period, undergraduates had three attempts to hear and recall different 9-digit strings in reverse order. No significant differences among treatment conditions were found. There was a significant effect of practice. Results are discussed in terms of the need to isolate the conditions responsible for production of the Mozart effect.

Note: Department of Psychology Appalachian State University Boone Nc 28608 USA. [email protected]

Keyword(s): Auditory Perception|. Intelligence Tests|SN. Music|

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