I like Bruno Mars (I actually love him), but not when I work or study – I still study to make content for SmarterDAdental assisting board exams (CDA®, NELDA®, COA®, CPFDA®, CRFDA®). You may have the songs that empower you, make you feel great, and are fun. But save them for the shower, party nights, or the car.
A recent experiment, conducted by Carol A. Smith and Larry W. Morris of Middle Tennessee State University, revealed that students who listened to their preferred type of lyrical music whilst taking a series of tests did not perform as well as did students who listened to sedative music. This is conjectured to be the result of the distracting nature of the lyrics of a familiar and preferred song, which can evoke emotions and memories and thus divert attention away from the task at hand.
Freshman Iman Ghosh, who enjoys listening to music while studying, confirms this phenomenon: “I listen to electronic music like techno, sometimes [I listen to] dubstep, but I only listen to music that is without words and singing, because if there are words and singing I can’t concentrate.”
Freshman Sam Glotfelty has a similar experience: “Stuff with lyrics usually distracts me… sometimes classical music helps,” he says. However, that still doesn’t stop him from listening to hip hop and rap every now and then to liven up his studies.
On the same note, a study conducted in 2002 exposed children of ages seven to ten to calm, relaxing music as they took a series of arithmetic and memory tests, and then too loud, aggressive music while they took similar tests. Afterward, the children took the same tests in silence. The results showed that calming music greatly enhanced test-taking abilities, while aggressive music served as a distraction.
I know I am a fan of “productivity,” but that does not mean do what makes you feel great! In the end, we all have different personalities and music means different things to all of us. But if you find yourself struggling to learn better on your own, maybe ask yourself if it is the music.
If you are studying with SmarterDA (the leading online dental assisting boards review course), turn on some instrumental music. Or even better, go to brain.fm and find music that stimulates the “right” brain waves so you learn better. To know more about SmarterDA pricing, simply visit the courses we provide for the dental assisting exams.
Author: Claire RDH, MS
Claire is the founder of StudentRDH and SmarterDA – exams prep solutions for the dental hygiene and dental assisting students. The online solutions deliver content of the highest quality through the latest e-learning technology. According to some students, studying is now “addictive!” Prior to her career in the dental field, Claire Jeong was an education specialist at Boston Children’s Museum. Claire is licensed to practice in the United States as well as Canada. She provides personalized mentorship and can be reached at ClaireJ@SmarterDA.com and support@SmarterDA.com.
Disclaimer: CDA®, NELDA®, COA®, CPFDA®, CRFDA® are registered trademarks of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (“DANB”). This article is not sponsored or endorsed by or affiliated with the DANB.