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Background Music Stints Creativity, Says New Study
Sci News ^ | February 28, 2019 | News Staff

Posted on 03/16/2019 10:32:23 PM PDT by DoodleBob

In a series of three experiments, a team of psychologists from Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Gävle investigated the impact of background music on creativity. Their findings challenge the popular view that music enhances creativity, and instead demonstrate that music, regardless of the presence of semantic content (no lyrics, familiar lyrics, or unfamiliar lyrics), disrupts creative performance in insight problem solving.

“Creativity is a vital aspect of cognition underpinning activities such as innovative product design, scientific advancement, and effective advertising and marketing communications,” said lead author Dr. Emma Threadgold from the University of Central Lancashire and colleagues.

“Background music is an environmental stimulus known to influence cognitive performance, which has also been claimed to enhance people’s creativity for tasks involving spatial abilities such as drawing.”

“We argue, however, that there is limited empirical support for the claimed benefits of background music on creativity.”

In the new study, Dr. Threadgold and co-authors critically examined the impact of background music on performance by presenting people with verbal insight problems that are believed to tap creativity.

The scientists used three experiments involving verbal tasks in either a quiet environment or while exposed to: (i) background music with foreign (unfamiliar) lyrics, (ii) instrumental music without lyrics, and (iii) music with familiar lyrics.

They found that background music ‘significantly impaired’ people’s ability to complete tasks testing verbal creativity — but there was no effect for background library noise.

(Excerpt) Read more at sci-news.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Music/Entertainment; Science
KEYWORDS: music; noise; science
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I read the full study.

Basicslly they ran three tests with 30, 18, and 36 people...that is hardly a meaningfully-large group of people. Further the music they chose -1990s Britpop and 2013 soul - this music can't compare to the Beatles, the Police, Pink Floyd, or Ramones. Caveat emptor.

1 posted on 03/16/2019 10:32:23 PM PDT by DoodleBob
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To: DoodleBob

Or good old fahion baroque


2 posted on 03/16/2019 11:21:25 PM PDT by Glennb51
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To: DoodleBob

“background music ‘significantly impaired’ people’s ability to complete tasks.”
Cool problem. Just go to an art school in Los Angeles or San Francisco and ask the students what they do for their studios. Most have cool music and ditch the garbage from the 1960’s like The Beatles, the 1970’s like Pink Floyd and the 1980’s like the Ramones. You catch my drift. KCRW will help a newbie to find cool music.


3 posted on 03/16/2019 11:21:47 PM PDT by Falconspeed
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To: DoodleBob

Listen To The Music
https://youtu.be/GVgMzKMgNxw


4 posted on 03/16/2019 11:42:19 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: DoodleBob

I have tinnitus- does that count as ‘background music’? Lol


5 posted on 03/16/2019 11:52:29 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: DoodleBob

Back ground music such as AM Pop 40 would limit one’s creativity to only a very limited range of thought because AM Pop 40 is itself very limited. A visit to the quietude of the country side might allow the mind to roam freely. Starring at a blank white wall with no noise whatsoever would allow the mind to create whatever picture it wanted. Beware the concept of being told what to do, or think, or what to buy, or how to spend.


6 posted on 03/17/2019 12:14:08 AM PDT by Trumpet 1 (US Constitution is my guide.)
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To: DoodleBob

Bullsh*t- Background music always increases productivity. Always.

Are these the same morons who determined the sun was bad but carcinigenic sun tan lotion was good?


7 posted on 03/17/2019 12:22:31 AM PDT by DeathBeforeDishonor1
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To: DoodleBob

Just to keep perspective...The Ocasio Cortez generation is now coming into prominance in the scientific fields.

God help us.


8 posted on 03/17/2019 12:24:02 AM PDT by DeathBeforeDishonor1
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To: DoodleBob

The music selection would kill brain cells of all types


9 posted on 03/17/2019 12:43:06 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: DeathBeforeDishonor1

This was a study on creativity not production. It’s understandable How back music could Sidetrack creative thought.


10 posted on 03/17/2019 1:41:26 AM PDT by Federal46 (federal 46)
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To: DeathBeforeDishonor1

When I paint or airbrush, I always have my iPod playlist blasting.


11 posted on 03/17/2019 2:42:40 AM PDT by Salamander (Death makes angels of us all, and give us wings where we once had shoulders, smooth as ravens' claws)
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To: Federal46

I’ve done several Harleys and a few murals with Jethro Tull themes and had Ian blasting in the background.

The artwork was glorious.

:)


12 posted on 03/17/2019 2:44:11 AM PDT by Salamander (Death makes angels of us all, and give us wings where we once had shoulders, smooth as ravens' claws)
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To: DoodleBob

I think it’s “IDOTS” (it depends on the situation); as a musician, if music is playing in the room, I find myself trying to “analyze” the music, insofar as chord structure, harmony, melody, timing, and orchestration. That takes my mind off the task I’m trying to accomplish.

I’ve tried this “relaxation music” on Youtube, and it’s NOT relaxing as it never “resolves” its self. It’s just non-descript series’ of chords over and over.

I sleep better to the background noise of birds tweeting, rain on a tin roof, or a fan running.

Many people can function well if it’s music they know, and love...but, opera, or “rap” would drive me bonkers in a 2.3 milliseconds...(someone turn on a loud fan).


13 posted on 03/17/2019 4:47:58 AM PDT by FrankR (How to get a one-armed SOCIALIST out of a tree...wave to him.)
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To: Salamander

I usually have some kind of TV or movie soundtrack playing when doing something.

I’ve started to knock off paint to prep the body (eventually) of a CJ7 for painting.

Currently I run the Masada soundtrack while at it.


14 posted on 03/17/2019 5:12:52 AM PDT by wally_bert (You're bringing The Monk down, man!)
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To: DoodleBob

Also, “solving problems” in a lab environment with nasty music has little to do with creativity as most of the world understands it.


15 posted on 03/17/2019 7:15:13 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: wally_bert

Most times I have background music on when building models. Usually a movie score tailored to the type of kit I am building. Example THE BLUE MAX if I am building planes. I also will have Russian classical music on when doing class prep for my Russian history classes.


16 posted on 03/17/2019 8:53:53 AM PDT by bravo whiskey (Never bring a liberal gun law to a gun fight.)
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To: bravo whiskey

I had to laugh. The headline writer must have had background music on, as he mistook ‘stint’ for ‘stunt.’ Pedantic FAIL.


17 posted on 03/17/2019 1:25:03 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: wally_bert

And it really helps, doesn’t it?

:)


18 posted on 03/17/2019 3:48:21 PM PDT by Salamander (Death makes angels of us all, and give us wings where we once had shoulders, smooth as ravens' claws)
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To: Salamander

Most of the time, yes.


19 posted on 03/17/2019 3:49:18 PM PDT by wally_bert (You're bringing The Monk down, man!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

"What do get when you cross a gay guy with a Jew? A hit Broadway play." -- Drew Carey
Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science

Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science

20 posted on 03/17/2019 9:28:05 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (this tagline space is now available)
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