Literature review

The "Mozart effect" is a popularized hypothesis suggesting that listening to Mozart's music can
enhance cognitive performance, specifically in spatial-temporal tasks (Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993).
Several subsequent studies, however, have yielded mixed results, and the generalizability of the
Mozart effect remains disputed (Steele, Bass, & Crook, 1999). This study aims to explore the
potential impact of listening to Mozart on exam performance, a domain not yet extensively
investigated in relation to the Mozart effect. The hypothesis is that students who listen to Mozart
while studying will perform better in their exams compared to those who do not. Nonetheless, its
application to academic performance is relatively unexplored. Some studies support this effect
(Husain, Thompson, & Schellenberg, 2002; Rauscher, Shaw, & Levine. 1997), while others find
minimal or no effect (Steele et al., 1999; Pietschnig. Voracek, & Formann, 2010). These mixed results,
paired with potential benefits for students' academic outcomes, highlight the importance of further
investigating this phenomenon in an academic context. This study aims to contribute to this ongoing
discourse

Methods

Two distinctly designed study conditions were established to conduct this experiment. The first was
the experimental condition in which participants were provided with a tailored 60-minute playlist of
Mozart's music. This playlist comprised several of Mozart's compositions, chosen to represent a
broad spectrum of his works and not just those associated with increased spatial-temporal abilities
(Rauscher, Shaw, & Ky, 1993). Compositions included Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Sonata for Two
Pianos in D Major, and Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major. The second was the control condition,
where participants studied in an environment of complete silence. Care was taken to ensure that the
environmental conditions, such as temperature, lighting, and the study setup, were identical across
both conditions to avoid confounding variables. The exam tool used in this study was constructed
from a high school-level physics curriculum. It consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions covering a
variety of topics within a single chapter that participants studied during the experiment. The
questions ranged in difficulty level to challenge students and better differentiate their levels of
understanding. The validity and reliability of the exam tool were established through a pilot test and
consultation with physics educators prior to the main study. The use of these materials ensured a
controlled environment to explore the potential effects of Mozart's music on academic performance