Less Stress, Happiness, Cognitive Success: An investigation into sedative music and its ability to increase our attention within cognitive tasks

Murphy, Evan (2015) Less Stress, Happiness, Cognitive Success: An investigation into sedative music and its ability to increase our attention within cognitive tasks. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This research investigated the effects of sedative music on physiological stress, positive and negative affect and how by positively altering such variables it could influence the attention of the individual within a stressful test. 30 undergraduate participants (40% women, 60% men; mean age of 23.2) were all firstly measured for resting pulse rate and temperature through lab software equipment. Furthermore their baseline measures of positive and negative affect were recorded by the use of the PANAS scale. Afterward, they listened to either sedative, stimulative or no music for 2 minutes prior to and during the Stroop test. The physiological and affective measures were again assessed through the same methods both prior and post Stroop test. These measures were compared within each condition. Lower physiological stress was identified within the sedative condition compared to the stimulative and control conditions. Likewise the sedative condition help better maintain the affective score of individuals compared to the stimulative and control conditions. In addition to these findings no significant impact was found for the conditions impact on Stoop performance of individual’s. These findings can suggest a benefit of sedative music for individuals who experience stress during cognitive task however no casual effect can be made for its impact on subsequent performances within the task.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Cognition B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Stress (Psychology)
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2015 10:26
Last Modified:	01 Oct 2015 10:26
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/1968

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