Spatial-temporal skills and exposure to music: Is there an effect, and if so, why?

The present study sought to replicate and extend the Mozart effect described by Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky (1993, 1995). Rauscher et al. reported an increase in scores on a spatial-temporal task following 10 minutes of listening to a Mozart sonata, an effect that was not evident in control conditions (e.g., 10 minutes of silence). In Experiment 1, we replicated the Mozart effect in a highly controlled environment; participants performed better on a spatial-temporal task after listening to Mozart than after sitting in silence. In Experiment 2, we found the same effect when a composition by Schubert was substituted for the Mozart sonata. In Experiment 3, performance was equivalent across conditions when we replaced the silence (control) condition of Experiment 1 with 10 minutes of a narrated short story. Moreover, performance on the spatial task was a function of listeners\u27 preference for the Mozart or the story. These findings imply that the Mozart effect can be explained by participants\u27 motivation and emotional state.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1997 .N36. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 37-01, page: 0372. Adviser: E. Glenn Schellenburg. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1997