For some people, listening to music is a big part of their life. One helps the music to concentrate, others relax to calm songs, and still others like to dance to funny tunes. There are dozens of different genres, of which we only listen to those that we like best. But few people know exactly how melodies affect our brain and its activity. It became known that recent studies associate IQ with the amount of music played. How can the songs we listen to daily relate to a person’s mental abilities?
First study
Dr. Francis Rauscher demonstrated in 1993 that a Mozart hearing may be linked to higher intelligence. This phenomenon has been called the "Mozart effect." Back in 1998, the governor of Georgia suggested using 105 thousand dollars to popularize Mozart’s music among the children of the state. The study gave rise to several contradictions at the time, as many psychologists tried to refute this theory.
Vivaldi improves memory
After a new discovery about Mozart’s music, many scientists continued to search for ways to influence music on the cognitive functions of the brain. The University of Northumbria conducted a study with 17 participants, during which it was found that listening to the "Seasons" by composer Vivaldi can bring positive results in the form of increased mental abilities and improved areas of attention and memory.
Listening to music improves communication skills
Music helps us in more circumstances than we think. Dr. Sylvain Moreno found in a group of students that 90% of them who were involved in music were able to improve their intelligence. In his book, Moreno talks about how musical vibrations help us so that our brain, despite constant work, can better concentrate and develop properly.
Playing instruments can change the shape of the brain
A new scientific study shows that regular playing the instruments can change the whole structure of the brain and its development paths. The more music we listen to every day and interact with the instruments, the more effective our motor skills, memory and emotional perception become. Lutz Janke, a psychologist at the University of Zurich, says learning to play new instruments can improve IQ to 7 points.
Musicians have a good mind
Great differences were found between the brain of a musician and those who do not like music. As a rule, the brains of musicians are larger and more developed than ordinary people. The musicians have well developed logical and communication skills.
A study was conducted at the University of the North-West, during which scientists decided that language and music belong to the same area of the brain. This means that learning music can improve reading and writing. In addition, scientists from the Boston Children's Hospital have come to the conclusion that musicians demonstrate great mental abilities.
Thanks to music, a person works better
Research shows that through music you can work better. A study of the activities of employees allowed us to draw this conclusion. Those people who have the opportunity to listen to music in the workplace are more active and better solve the tasks.
Logic and music
As already mentioned, learning to play a musical instrument positively affects the intellectual abilities of a child.In 2008, during a study in a music school, it was discovered that children who have been playing music for several years have more developed logical skills.
Thus, experts in the work of the brain came to the conclusion that prolonged intensive musical practice has a positive effect on brain activity and the development of mental abilities.
Listen to what you like best
However, according to psychologist Glenn Schellenberg of the University of Toronto, the point is not in the music itself, but in what makes us feel. This shows that anything that fills us with good emotions can improve our cognitive skills. It doesn’t matter if Mozart is Vivaldi or other music. If you feel good from listening to a song, your brain will also be fine.