Mozart Effect: Simply Activating the Brain?

The ‘Mozart Effect’ is very popular today and has turned into a big business. Much of the popularity of the 'Mozart Effect' is based on the publication of Don Campbell’s book, The Mozart Effect (1997), and Gordon Shaw's recent book, Keeping Mozart in Mind (2000). Compact discs of Mozart music as well as other classical pieces for infants and children have sprung up in bookstores and record stores and are marketed to parents and educators as a method to improve a child's intelligence.

The initial study, published in 1993, found that subjects who heard Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major scored higher on an I.Q. test than subjects who did not hear Mozart's piece. This effect lasted approximately 10 to 15 minutes after listening to the music. There was little or no improvement on test scores after 15 minutes. Follow-up research has been rather mixed, with some studies reporting similar benefits whereas other studies have not been able to replicate the 'Mozart Effect.'

There has been much discussion of the 'Mozart Effect' among music therapists as well as researchers in the field. There is growing consensus that listening to some forms of music are mentally stimulating, such as many of Mozart's compositions. The music itself does not increase one’s intelligence; but rather, auditory stimulation heightens the brain's ability to process information. As a result, the person may be more attentive while working on tasks such as an intelligence test. Additionally, after the music is turned off, it takes 10 to 15 minutes for the brain to 'settle down.' This interpretation would be consistent with the notion that many people work better (e.g., increased attention, concentration, motivation) when they listen to music in the background. (see related story below.) There is no solid evidence that passive listening to stimulating music can simply increase one's intelligence.

This article appeared in The Sound Connection, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2002. The Sound Connection is published quarterly by the Society for Auditory Intervention Techniques (P.O. Box 4538, Salem, OR 97302). You can also visit SAIT's web site at: www.sait.org