Lorelee Sanmiguel Rivera

ENGL 1302-217

Dr. Monica Rodriguez

10 December 2023

The Muse of The Mind

Music has always been a mystery to people and especially researchers as it can cause a

variety of different states of mind for people and emotional stimuli. Most of the time, it can be

hard to determine what exactly the different genres of music can do as to affect the stimuli in

one’s brain. As a result, multiple studies are often conducted to see the relevance of the study as

well as if the study is proven true to its hypothesis or if proven false and in fact relative to

something else. Music can be hard to determine how exactly it can makes people concentrate and

relax, engage in mindfulness, and promote mind wandering and distractions.

Concentration and relaxation

Many researchers have conducted studies to prove what types of music genres work best

for concentration and found that classical music genres are often what seemed to be the best.

This, however, led to the common belief that classical music helps you work better in classroom

settings and in home settings. Marion Simpson stated in, “Will listening to Mozart make you

smarter? Marion Simpson investigates an unusual exam aid. (education).,” that a study done in

the University of California caused a big uproar about how listening to classical music “might

improve your aptitude for complex tasks.” Simpson mentioned that the data the researchers had

collected seemed to show an increase in IQ when listening to either Mozart or the lowering blood
pressure rather than listening to silence. This, in turn, created the controversial topic that classical

music can help you become smarter and retain more information. Despite the misconception of

music, Simpson stated that music can help with seizure disorders and stimulates brain activity.

The study conducted previously showed that in fact it can reduce patients having seizures by

41%; that is often why doctors often recommend music as a treatment method. “…evidence

suggests that Mozart might be of benefit in other neurological conditions, notably Alzheimer's

disease, stroke, and Williams syndrome.,” stated Simpson.

Milton Becknell et al. seems to have a similar stand on music as well. In, “Effects of

listening to heavy metal music on college women: a pilot study,” by Milton Becknell, Becknell

that women who were in the study seemed to show signs of distress and dysfunction. Heavy

metal music seemed to have a great effect on emotions as it can trigger sadness, anger,

depression, and more. Heavy metal is often linked towards psychological well-being as, “…

heavy metal music causes arousal in all subjects they tested, but listeners’ preferences may play a

mitigating role. (Becknell et al.)” Becknell et al. found that in fact their hypothesis seemed to tie

in with the studies as, “physiological differences were found between the students listening to the

heavy metal music and those in the control group. (Becknell et al.)” Lots of issues seemed to

come up with this study for the women as they had a preference of non-heavy metal music.

Becknell et al. stated that although this was just a pilot study, the research seemed to have a

variety of different outcomes in terms of hormones that were released during the five-minute

intervals. Becknell goes on to state how the different music genres that are often exposed to in

the colleges and venues leads to the emotional and psychological parts of the brain that aren’t

necessarily tested or studied and as such if future research were to be done it would create

greater understandings for people, music, and the mind.

Mindfulness

To understand mindfulness requires a person to open their mind and become aware of the

world around them as well as themselves. Mindfulness approaches different areas of the mind

and increases awareness in oneself. Mindfulness training is often linked to a variety of health

benefits that can make a person feel or even experience newer things that may or may not be

influenced by their minds or even their environment. Students taking mindfulness training have

been shown to have an improved understanding of their classes as well as themselves. No matter

how difficult it might be, mindfulness training creates the possibility of changing the mindset of

students and individuals in a formal setting and an informal setting.