Listening to the right tune can get our hairs standing on end thanks to “frisson”, but can it move us to focus more on something we’re working on? Flow playlists are all over streaming platforms like Spotify, and now new research has backed up their efficacy as a study tool.
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The study set out to investigate how different kinds of music and background noise influence mood and cognitive performance while doing a flanker task, which required them to quickly identify a central stimulus while ignoring distractions. It enrolled the help of 196 participants and exposed them to “work flow” music as well as “deep focus” music, pop hits, and generic office background noise.
The results showed that only the work flow music had a positive influence on mood and performance. Their reaction time improved as the task went on, suggesting the music was helping them to process information more efficiently.
There was also a correlation between mood improvement and performance improvement, with those who experienced a bigger boost showing the biggest gains in reaction speed. The results tap into what’s known as arousal-mood theory, which suggests if we feel better we work better, with good mood aligning with good performance.
“We show that instrumental music intentionally composed to support attentional focus and concentration during work – comprising strong rhythm, simple tonality, broad spectral energy, and moderate dynamism – improves mood and increases processing speed during a cognitively demanding task that requires selective attention,” concluded the authors.
“These effects were demonstrated in comparison to more minimalistic music similarly advertised to improve attentional focus, popular music, and typical background noise in a calm office environment. This work has real-world implications for providing the general population with effective and affordable strategies to regulate mood and performance during routine work tasks often experienced as emotionally and physically taxing.”
So whack on your headphones and get in the zone. Flow state shows real changes in the brain, and we have some tips for getting into it. We also have a must-watch video if you’re trying to get rid of a song that’s stuck in your head: the earworm eraser.
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The study is published in PLOS One.
Source Link: Good News, Folks! Your Flow Playlist Is Working
