The Importance of Music 1

Running Head: THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC

Importance of Music
Hannah K. Pulliam
University of North Carolina at Charlotte










Spring 2014
The Importance of Music 2
Hannah Pulliam
English 1102
Ashlyn Williams
Background/Introduction
I, like many others in this world, listen to music on a day-to-day basis. Its what
gets me through those stressful times of school and work. But have you ever wondered
what other roles it plays in society? Well, would it surprise you if I told you that music
could help calm stress, reduce symptoms of disease and disorder (Autism, depression,
etc.), or even possibly help with teaching kids how to read? In this paper, I explore the
significance that music has on other peoples lives. I look into music therapy and its
implications for various disease treatment and symptom reduction, and I pay specific
attention to actual case studies in which music is being used (some of these include
working with autistic children, effects with the elderly, mood changes, etc.)
As a music minor, I incorporate music into my work of study everyday, whether it
be through applied lessons, sight singing, music theory, etc. I am very passionate about
what I do. I have used music in different ways all my life for about thirteen years. I am
very interested in how it can be important to society in the future. I have learned already
that music can affect people in a variety of ways whether they are young or old,
musicians or not, etc. In this paper, we will see studies of how music can affect mood and
arousal, and how it may be a way to teach kids how to read. We will also lean towards
the topic of music therapy to see how music might be able to cure or at least reduce
symptoms of illness or disorder.

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Literacy Review
Over the past sixty or so years, researchers have found that music
is a great way of reducing symptoms of illness or disorder. This form of
therapy, called music therapy, would soon become one of the most used
therapies around the world.
Terms-
-Music Therapy: This form of therapy is used as an intervention for patients suffering
with an illness or disorder (i.e. depression, autism, etc.). It does not necessarily cure an
illness or disorder, but it does decrease the symptoms of it.
-Spatial Abilities: The ability to think about and visualize something in order to
understand its meaning or concept.
-Musical Mode: This tells whether a piece of music will be major or minor. A major key
will sound more lively and upbeat, while a minor key can sound more emotional, sad, or
even scary.
-Musical Tempo: This is the beat of the music. The piece can be very slow or very fast
paced.
-Literacy: The ability to read and comprehend words.
-Brain Processing: How your brain comprehends certain things.
-Cardiovascular System: Heart, the circulation of blood (circulatory system)
-Cerebrovascular System: Brain, cerebrum, and blood vessels
-Respiratory System: Breathing, exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
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-Individualized Music: Your own style of music that you prefer to listen to
Using Music Therapy to Cure Sickness or
Disorders
Although stress is not a form of illness or
disorder, it can lead to illness, such as depression, and can
be reduced with music. In Coping with Stress: The
Effectiveness of Different Types of Music, Elise Labbe
examines students before, during, and after taking a test.
Given a wide range of classical music to listen to, one
group shows great results of reduced stress, while another group, forced to sit in silence
or listen to heavy metal has increased symptoms of stress.
In Nicole Allgoods study of "Parents' Perceptions of Family-based Group Music
Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, parents of autistic children are
examined over a 7-week period as they participate in music therapy with their kids. The
children engage in a wide variety of musical activities that will, in the end, increase their
social skills so they can better interact with their peers and even their parents.
Not only is music therapy used to cure/reduce symptoms of disorders, it is also
used with sicknesses like depression. In "Music therapy for depression, Anna Maratos
studied five groups of people, each dealing with depression. All groups are asked to
participate in a standard therapy of their choice and then a music therapy. In the end,
results were more positive when music therapy was used instead of a standard therapy,
and the moods of the participants changed dramatically.
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Alzheimers Disease is a condition that occurs mostly in elders and results in
impaired cognition. In "Effects of individualized versus classical "relaxation" music on
the frequency of agitation in elderly persons with Alzheimer's disease and related
disorders, Linda Gerdner wanted to test how different types of music affected the brain
of elders with Alzheimers disease. Asking the participants to listen to two styles of
music: 1. Individualized 2. Classical in different orders, results came out positive when
listening to individualized music (their own preferred style of music) over classical
music.
Although the participants in this next
experiment did not have any cases of disorder or
disease, this is still considered music therapy. In
"The meaning of music in the lives of older people:
a qualitative study," a group of elders were asked to
listen to music to see how it affected their well-
being. Results showed that when listening to their
own style of music, it reduced agitation and also helped increase social skills. When
interviewing some of the elders after the experiment, many said that listening to music,
not only improved their communication with others, but it also made them feel less
lonely.
How Music Affects Ones Spatial Abilities
In Effects of Musical Tempo and Mode on Arousal, Mood, and Spatial
Abilities, Gabriela Husain wanted to see how music affected students mood, arousal,
and spatial abilities, so she recorded a Mozart piece and manipulated it four different
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times. When asked to listen to the original score, one group of students showed positive
results with spatial abilities compared to a group that was asked to sit in silence. The
procedure then changed. Now, one group of students would be listening to a slower
Mozart, while another would be listening to a sped up version of the piece. Spatial
abilities appeared higher when listening to the faster version, compared to the slowed
down version.
How Musical Mode Affects Ones Behavior
As we already know in Effects of Musical Tempo and Mode on Arousal, Mood,
and Spatial Abilities, a Mozart piece was recorded and manipulated four times. When
examining the students participating in this test, Gabriela Husain found that the mode of
the piece could greatly affect the mood and spatial abilities of the students. When the
piece was played in a major key, students appeared happier and awake, compared to
when it was played in a minor key and students were more sensitive and emotional. Also,
spatial skills in students were higher when the mode of the piece was played in major,
rather than in minor.
How Musical Tempo Affects Ones Behavior
In Effects of Musical Tempo and Mode on Arousal, Mood, and Spatial
Abilities, Gabriela Husain also found that the tempo of a piece could affect a persons
spatial abilities and arousal. As we already learned, when the tempo of the Mozart was
sped up, students had higher spatial abilities than when it was slowed down. Results also
showed that when the speed of the piece changed, it affected students arousal. Arousal
was higher when the tempo became faster compared to when it was slowed down.
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More and more businesses, today, that provide services to people are trying to
experiment with ways that they can improve their setting so that they may appeal more to
the public eye (i.e. lighting, color, using manners, etc.) Music has become especially
popular in the restaurant business. In "The influence of music tempo and musical
preference on restaurant patrons' behavior, Clare Caldwell decided to examine a sit
down restaurant to see how musical preference (persons preferred style of music) and
tempo affected the customers behaviors. More specifically, she wanted to test how
different types of music affected how long a customer stayed in the restaurant, how much
money or tip was paid after eating, and finally, the overall outcome of what the customer
thought of the restaurant. Results showed that tempo really had nothing to do with how it
affected customers. Instead, it was musical preference that determined the length of time
a customer stayed in the restaurant, how much they tipped, and their overall outcome of
the restaurant.
The Affects of Music and how it could be Helpful when Improving Reading Skills in
the Future
In Can Music be Used to Teach Reading?. Ron Butzlaff argues over why he
thinks music can be a way to improve reading skills in the future. He gives multiple
reasons as to why he believes musical could come in handy. 1. Music and reading are
similar because, just like reading a book, you have to read from left to right when reading
notes off of a staff for music. 2. For a singer, you have to read the lyrics to learn them or
memorize them. 3. When joining a music group, you have to have a lot of responsibility
when trying to learn your part. If you are not prepared, then the whole group suffers.
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(Butzlaff) The author says that maybe by joining some time of music group, you can
learn how to be responsible, which can then lead to better academic performance.
The Affects of Music on Brain Processing in Different Genders
In Electric Brain Responses Reveal Gender Differences in Music Processing,
Stefan Koelsch examines how the brain processes differently in genders while listening to
music. Males have greater left hemisphere than females do usually. (Koelsch). 62
right-handed non-musicians were asked to participate in this experiment. Researchers
then played a variety of musical phrases, each consisting of five chords. They would
examine the brain function of the people listening to the music. In the end, the females in
the group processed music on both sides of the brain (or bilaterally), while the males
were more likely to respond negatively on the right hemisphere of the brain.
The Affects of Music on Ones Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Respiratory
Systems
In "Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory changes induced by different
types of music in musicians and non-musicians: the importance of silence, twelve
musicians and twelve non-musicians are being examined on how their cardiovascular,
cerebrovascular, and respiratory systems change while listening to music. They are each
asked to listen to 6 different styles of music. During each song, there is a two-minute
examination period where researchers test the blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, etc.
At the pause between each song, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing went down.
When it came to examining mid-cerebral artery flow velocity and baroreflex, a faster
tempo made them increase. The mid-cerebral artery flow velocity seemed to reduce when
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exposed to different styles of music. Overall, musicians had higher respiratory
sensitivity to tempo than the non-musicians. (Bernardi)
The Affects of Individualized Music or Musical Preference on Ones Behavior
In The influence of music tempo and musical preference on restaurant patrons
behavior, Clare Caldwell exams how musical preference and tempo affect customers
behaviors in a restaurant. At the end of this experiment, we found out that it wasnt tempo
that affected the way the customers responded at the dinner table. Instead, it was musical
preference. Results showed that the preferred style of music was the determinant of how
much customers would tip, how long they would spend in the restaurant, and their overall
outcome of the service of the workers.
In Effects of individualized versus classical relaxation music of frequency of
agitation in elderly persons with Alzheimers disease and related disorders, Linda
Gerdner examines agitation in elders suffering with Alzheimers. As we already know,
the participants were asked to listen to classical music and then their own individualized
music. Being split into groups, one group would listen to classical music and then move
on to listening to their own style of music, while the other group would listen to the same
music, just in the reverse order. Gerdner would examine them during a two-week
washout period. (Gerdner) In the end, results showed that there was a greater reduction
of agitation when listening to your own individualized music than when listening to the
classical music.
Entering the Conversation
After observing my figured world, I have come up with an experiment of my own
that I would like to test out. I want to know if music can help cure sleep deprivation.
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Being a college student, you dont get much sleep due to work inside and outside of
school. Also, a lot of college students like to procrastinate until nighttime to do their
work, resulting in lack of sleep and a messed up sleep schedule.
In my experiment, I would gather 24 college students and divide them up into
three equal groups. Over a period of about a week and 8 hours of sleep each night, I
would examine the three groups sleep schedules. The first group would be asked to
listen to their preferred style of music before and during their sleep time. The second
group would be given a classical soundtrack that they would go to sleep to. And the third
group would be asked to sleep in silence with no music to listen to.
Before conducting the experiment, I would think that the music would work better
when trying to get the students to sleep faster. You tend to think a lot at night, and trying
to sleep in silence is just going to make you think even more. I dont believe sleeping in
silence will work as well as listening to music. I also do not think the preferred style of
music will work as well as listening to the classical music, because if you are trying to
sleep while listening to a song that you really like and know all the words to, then it will
just keep you up even longer.
I think this is a great experiment to try and perform, especially on college students
since we do not get much sleep. If music can help cope with stress, I thought it could at
least help reduce drowsiness in the mornings when waking up for class.
So What?
Music is something that is used all of over the world for enjoyment and
entertainment, but its role is far greater than that. It can be significant in ways that you
may have not even known. Did you know it could be used to help cope with stress? Now
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you know to use it when studying for that big exam. Did you know that it could help
reduce symptoms of depression? You can use music in that time of sadness. Music may
also be way to improve reading skills in the future There is a variety of ways you can use
music to help you. Researchers havent stopped experimenting with it. Who knows how
music will impact society in the future? Now you know, music can be beautiful in more
ways than one.

































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Interview Questions answered by Hannah Pulliam
My personal experience being a member of the Chamber Orchestra:

1. How have you been in actor in this figured world?
I contribute to this orchestra as the other musicians in it do. I am a second
violin player. What that usually means is that I act as the harmony for the
orchestra, and if you dont have the harmony, then the orchestra really
suffers as a whole.

2. How does this influence your observations?
If I were to just observe the second violin section, the behavior would be
different compared to the first violins. For the first violins, you always
need to be prompt and attentive. Same goes for the seconds, but usually
we will be playing with the first violins, so what we do is listen for the
firsts to come in. I dont want to say that the second violin section is more
laid back, but it does involve less counting. We do have to work together
with the first violins to come in at the same time though. You must always
be focused, no matter what.

3. What was it about this topic that made you so interested in pursuing
this as your observation topic?
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When picking my figured world to observe, I knew instantly that it was
going to be based around music in someway. I didnt really know it would
be the chamber orchestra that I would be observing, but once Ashlyn gave
me the idea, I knew it was perfect for me because, first of all, I am always
with the chamber orchestra, and second of all, I have such a passion for
playing that I knew I could explain the interaction between the actors and
artifacts very well in this setting.
















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References
Allgood, Nicole. "Parents' Perceptions of Family-based Group Music Therapy for
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders." Oxford Journals | Humanities &
Medicine | Music Therapy Perspectives. Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://mtp.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/2/92.short.
Assignment One Observations
Bernardi, L., C. Porta, and P. Sleight. "Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and
respiratory changes induced by different types of music in musicians and non-
musicians: the importance of silence -- Bernardi et al. 92 (4): 445 -- Heart." Heart
- BMJ Journals. Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://heart.bmj.com/content/92/4/445.short.
Butzlaff, Ron. "JSTOR: Can Music be Used to Teach Reading?. Accessed
February 20, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3333642.
Caldwell, Clare, and Sally A. Hibbert. "The influence of music tempo and
musical preference on restaurant patrons' behavior - Caldwell - 2002 - Psychology
& Marketing." Wiley Online Library. Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.10043/abstract.
Gerdner, Linda A. "Effects of individualized versus classical "relaxation" music
on the frequency of agitation in elderly persons with Alzheimer's disease and
related disorders." Accessed February 20, 2014. psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2000-
08235-003.
Hays, Terrence, and Victor Minichiello. "The meaning of music in the lives of
older people: a qualitative study." Psychology of Music. Accessed
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February 20, 2014. http://pom.sagepub.com/content/33/4/437.short.
Husain, Gabriela, William F. Thompson, and E. G. Schellenberg. "JSTOR:
Effects of Musical Tempo and Mode on Arousal, Mood, and Spatial Abilities.
Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/mp.2002.20.2.151.
Koelsch, Stefan. "Wolters Kluwer Health." LWW Journals - Beginning with A.
Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://journals.lww.com/neuroreport/Abstract/2003/04150/Electric_brain_respons
es_reveal_gender_differences.10.aspx.
Labbe, Elise, Nicholas Schmidt, Jonathan Babin, and Martha Pharr. "Coping with
Stress: The Effectiveness of Different Types of Music - Springer." Home -
Springer. Accessed February 20, 2014.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-007-9043-9#page-1.
Maratos, Anna. "Music therapy for depression - The Cochrane Library -
Maratos." Wiley Online Library. Last modified November 6, 2007.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004517.pub2/abstract.