Effects of Music During Task Performance on Alpha Rhythm Patterns
Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Jim Nelson
College
College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
Discipline(s)
Psychology
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-24-2025
Abstract
Previous research indicates that music produces changes in brainwave patterns. However, the specific pattern and location of these changes are unclear. This study examines alterations in brainwave patterns within the alpha spectrum between individuals completing a memory task in a music condition or a no music condition. The Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire was administered to 27 participants, from which 18 participants with scores indicative of a pleasurable music listening experience were selected. The 18 participants were assigned to one of the two conditions, music or no music, with the no music condition functioning as the control. All participants were connected to a multichannel EEG machine for the duration of memory task administration. Fast Fourier spectral analysis was used to identify alpha patterns. Increases in alpha power were found in the music condition when compared with the no music condition, but the pattern of changes varied according to the specific location in the brain being measured. One possible explanation for this occurrence is that the participants in the music condition found the music relaxing, accounting for the increase in alpha power within the music condition and absent from the no music condition.
Recommended Citation
McNamara, Jordyn, "Effects of Music During Task Performance on Alpha Rhythm Patterns" (2025). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1405.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1405
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Jordyn McNamara is a senior psychology major with minors in human biology and healthcare leadership. She will attend a Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program this fall and plans to pursue a career in clinical neuropsychology. Her interest in brainwave patterns stems from her goal of studying the complexities of brain functioning and the clinical applications of research.