Introduction
Music is more than just a form of entertainment because it has a significant impact on people’s cognitive abilities. For example, various relaxation, therapeutic, and treatment interventions include a music component, and corresponding evidence can be found in the research area. Zhang (2020) used the test of color memory and found that music positively affected human cognitive abilities, as evidenced by improved participants’ memory. That is why the current research proposal plans to rely on the word association test to investigate how listening to classical music affects the human brain and what improvements can be achieved.
Word association tests are frequently used in psychology and other fields of study. According to Akatan et al. (2022), this instrument is appropriate for assessing the effectiveness of learning and the overall cognitive performance of individuals. In this test, participants are presented with one or a few words and are expected to name or write the first word that comes to mind (Akatan et al., 2022). In the research field, this tool is actively used to analyze the impact of different events and phenomena on people’s brain functioning.
Thus, this research proposal aims to determine whether listening to classical music is the most effective approach. Meanwhile, learners who study while engaging in certain activities tend to remember more information on memory tests than in complete silence. Existing studies show a positive impact of music on people’s memory and overall cognitive processes. However, there is insufficient and low-quality evidence regarding the effect of music on word association test performance. The current research proposal aims to fill this gap and generate reliable knowledge to highlight the relationship between listening to classical music and improved memory.
Method
Participants
The current research proposal plans to recruit 40 people aged 21 to 26. A random sampling technique will be used to select these participants and divide them into two equal groups. Twenty individuals will be included in the experiment group, and the control group will have the same number of participants.
Appropriate advertisements will be posted on social media to ensure that the target population is aware of the experiment and its significance. Interested individuals will be asked to meet with the chief researcher in person or online, so that the latter can decide whether they can be recruited. After the test, each participant will receive a $20 gift card as a token of appreciation for their involvement.
Design
The current research proposal follows an experimental design with independent (listening to music or silence) and dependent (the number of correct responses on a memory test) variables. According to the independent variable, participants will be assigned to either an experimental group (studying while listening to music) or a control group (studying in silence). One should also mention that the research will employ a between-subjects design, as the participants will not change their group affiliation during the study. The randomization significantly enhances the quality of obtaining results and enables generalizing the findings to the entire population.
Measure
This study’s only measure will refer to the number of correct answers on the word association test. Each participant will receive 20 stimulus words and will be asked to record the first word that comes to mind for each one. The participants will have 15 seconds to analyze the stimulus word and provide a response. The stimulus words will be selected specifically so that particular associates will be expected. Thus, the researcher will calculate the number of correct responses to include this information in a further analysis to determine the impact of classical music on people’s cognitive functioning.
Manipulation
The only manipulation in the research proposal is the presence or absence of classical music during the study. Participants of the two groups will be given 10 minutes to read a 5-page (1,500-word) popular science article. The manipulation indicates that participants in the experimental group will study while listening to classical music. This music will be played at a moderate volume so that it does not create any barriers for participants to read the article and memorize its content.
Procedure
The recruited individuals will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, each with 20 members. They will have 10 minutes to read a presented article. The experimental group will listen to classical music while studying, while the control group will study in silence. Following the intervention or its absence, the participants will take the word association test, which will last approximately 10 minutes. Once these individuals respond to the 20 stimulus words, the experiment is considered over for the participants. The entire procedure will last for no more than 30 minutes, which is an attractive feature because it denotes that the research will not significantly interfere with the participants’ plans.
Data Analysis
The research proposal should utilize an appropriate statistical test to analyze the data accurately. According to the selected methodology, the independent samples t-test appears to be the most suitable. This data analysis instrument compares the sample means of two unrelated groups.
Since the proposed study relies on two independent samples, the t-test can analyze the data appropriately and generate valuable information. In particular, this test helps determine whether these means are statistically different. If such a difference is identified, it is possible to conclude that the intervention has led to this outcome.
Expected Results
The research proposal relies on a hypothesis suggesting that studying while listening to classical music will help the participants recall more information on a memory test than studying in silence. Such an outcome is expected because existing evidence demonstrates that classical music can positively affect people’s cognitive abilities, including memory. That is why the given proposal plans to identify that the intervention will show positive results on a word association test. Furthermore, the research proposal aims to rely on the independent samples t-test to find a statistically significant improvement in memory performance following the proposed intervention. If these expectations are satisfied, the study will generate additional knowledge highlighting the positive impact of music on human brain functioning.
Conclusion
In summary, the current research proposal aims to analyze the impact of music on people’s cognitive abilities. That is why an experimental and between-subjects design is used to identify whether listening to classical music while studying improves performance on a word association test. The independent samples t-test will determine whether the intervention results in a statistically significant difference. By focusing on young adults, the project will be valuable for students who will understand how they can improve their learning efficiency. Finally, the study is expected to show classical music’s positive impact on people’s memory, which will fill in the existing research gap.
References
Akatan, A., Kılıç, M., Baştürk, Z., & Embiyaoğlu, N. M. (2022). Determining university students’ cognitive structures and alternative concepts on striated muscle by word association test. Physical Education of Students, 26(2), 64-80. Web.
Zhang, S. (2020). The positive influence of music on the human brain. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 10(1), 95-104. Web.