T Cockerton | PubMed Health

PubMed1997

Cognitive test performance and background music.

This study examined the effects of background music on test performance. In a repeated-measures design 30 undergraduates completed two cognitive tests, one in silence and the other with background music. Analysis suggested that music facilitated cognitive performance compared with the control condition of no music: more questions were completed and more answers were correct. There was no difference in heart rate under the two conditions. The improved performance under the music condition might be directly related to the type of music used.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed1996

Viewers' ratings of violence presented in justified and unjustified contexts.

Viewers' rating of violence were investigated in an independent groups design using 147 undergraduate students. A 10-min. film clip was introduced to one group (n = 77) to provide justification for the violent events. The second group (n = 70) acted as a control with no justification given for the violence. Viewers of the justified violence rated that violence as less extreme, and their interest and involvement in the program significantly lower than viewers in the unjustified violence condition. Pre- to posttest increases in anger were small and no significant difference was found between the two groups. These results have important implications for reports of violence in the media.

Adult↗