Evidence In Support Of The Mozart Effect example essay topic

In nearly every country around the world people are dancing, singing, jiving, or chillin to their favorite tunes. There is just something about the variations of musical notes all mixed together that can alter the way we act, feel, and even think. It is generally agreed that music causes some kind of increased arousal in those who are the least bit interested in it and are listening with some degree of concentration. In depth studies have shown that music can reduce pain in childbirth, strengthen immune systems, and give surgery patients fewer complications with a much faster recovery (Take two? 108). The latest claim is that listening to classical music can enhance ones ability to reason abstractly, in turn boosting a person's IQ (intelligence quotient).

The question is, is the claim really valid? Astonishingly, this idea is taken as fact in most parts of America when really it is a theory based on much exaggeration. This idea of there being a link between classical music and a person's IQ is commonly referred to as the Mozart Effect, a term coined by Alfred Tom atis. This was first suggested about six years ago by a group of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Halpern 1). Using music as treatment for psychological or physical disorders is an idea that has existed in many forms, in many cultures, and for many centuries (Mar wick 267). Well, so what.

Music may play a role in how a person acts or feels. But does becoming smarter by listening to this same music fall along similar lines? Braddock 2 Some agree and others disagree; nevertheless they are basing their beliefs on three areas: experimental data, scientific research on the brain, or personal experiences. Among the many supporters of the Mozart Effect is the author of The Mozart Effect, Don Campbell. The Red Book magazine reports Campbell saying in his book that 'music alters our energy patterns and affects all sorts of processes, from blood pressure and heartbeat to muscle tensions and brain waves' (Take two? 108).

The main study of importance supporting Campbell's claim came from a study done by researchers from the University of Wisconsin. This study consisted of several college students listening to Mozart's Sonata of two pianos in D major for 10 minutes and then taking a specialized test (Weiss D 5). The results showed that the students scored better on the tests after listening to the music, giving evidence of at least a temporary boost in IQ (D 5). With studies like these surfacing, there is just to much evidence in support of the Mozart Effect for it to just be thrown away, yet the evidence presented from these same studies is not strong enough to persuade all. So the controversy is now on the validity of studies like the one conducted by the researchers from the University of Wisconsin. These people in opposition believe that music has no relation with the way you think and how one may learn.

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