Mozart effect

Is there really the "Mozart effect" , do people really become cleverer when listening to Mozart song?

This webpage has some sample of Mozart songs

www.amazon.com...


What is The Mozart Effect?

A. The Mozart Effect is an inclusive term signifying the transformational powers of music in health, education, and well-being. It represents the general use of music to reduce stress, depression, or anxiety; induce relaxation or sleep; activate the body; and improve memory or awareness. Innovative and experimental uses of music and sound can improve listening disorders, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autism, and other mental and physical disorders and injuries. ( www.mozarteffect.com... )


Further information : www.newscientist.com...

Guess i have to buy some Mozart songs for a try

Abstract from British Journal of Developmental Psychology. Vol 20(2), Jun 2002, 241-258.

Low, Jason, Victoria U of Wellington, School of Psychology

Investigated the Mozart effect, as documented by F. H. Rauscher et al (1993), with school-aged children. Exp 1 contrasted the spatial IQ scores of 55 children (aged 11-13 yrs) who had listened to a Mozart sonata (K.448) with the scores of children who had listened to a piece of popular dance music in a pretest-posttest design. There was no significant main effect of music and no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores for both groups. Owing to the non-significant findings, a 2nd experiment was carried out using 48 11.5-13 yr olds. The authors used a methodology that had previously replicated the Mozart effect. Again, Exp 2 did not support the claim that Mozart's music can enhance spatial performance. Groups performed similarly on the control test and the experimental test, irrespective of whether they listened to Mozart or to popular dance music. Since the 2 different designs produced similar findings, the data suggest that the Mozart effect is so ephemeral that it is questionable as to whether any practical application will come from it. In the discussion, the authors suggest more fruitful avenues for future research on the relationship between music and spatial performance: arousal and transfer of learning.

From the other studies that I'm looking at, it looks like the Mozart Effect, if it actually exists, is simply a short-term increase of activation in some parts of the cortex that contribute to spatial ability. Does this translate into increased performance? Not necessarily. Does it have lasting effects? No.

The Mozart Effect is one of those ideas that has been slowly distorted and stretched over time. Usually when people refer to the Mozart Effect now, they speak about it in terms of exposing unborn children to classical music in an effort to raise their mental ability in the long run. I have not seen any confirming that this is a real effect. I'm sure people will continue believing in it though.

phaedrus

[edit on 6-4-2005 by phaedrusxxx]

Originally posted by phaedrusxxx
I'm sure people will continue believing in it though.

phaedrus

Yes, the impact of M.E.M. (Mozart Effect Marketing) is visible in the last line of the initial post.

Mozart was a rebel pop star of the day. He wrote cool/def/sick "songs".

Actually I have a nice collection of classics for relaxation and they are very good, occurs you really have to sit and close your eyes to enjoy them so I guess that is why listening is so relaxing.

But as anything people will profit from the "Effect" in a variety of ways.

haiz a pity....initially i wanted to try some Mozart songs to increase my IQ .....ahha.....haiz

I don't think music "makes you smarter", it probably just relaxes you, thus, less on your mind = better concentration... I know I program best with a cold one n some good tunes