FASTER MEANS BETTER? Three Studies of Musical Tempo

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FASTER MEANS BETTER?Three Studies of Musical
Tempo

• Jeffrey M. Miller
• Blaine Peden, PhD.
• Lee Anna Rasar, MMEd.
• Mickey Crothers, PhD.

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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DOES MUSIC INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY?
Yes Kerr 1945 paper snappers Uhrbrock 1961 n
aval capacitors, quartz
crystal, radio tubes Oldham, et
al 1996 data entry 5 - 14
No Smith 1961 typing skills Newman et
al 1966 skateboard production Wentworth 1991 ta
sks by clients with MR Blood
Ferris 1993 conversation Lesiuk 2000 computer
programming
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Why may the results be inconsistent?

• Lack of statistical analysis in some studies

Corporative motives
Low sample sizes
Subjective labels to categorize mood

• Failure to manipulate tempo

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STUDIES MANIPULATING TEMPO Martin 1990 no
significant differences in slow, medium, or
fast tempo for simple or complex
task Gunsch 1991 rock music improves math scores
more than instrumental or no music
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Experiment 1Effects of Tempo on Typing Test
Measures of Speed and Accuracy

• Jeffrey M. Miller
• Lee Anna Rasar, MMEd.
• Mickey Crothers, PhD.
• Funded by the McNair Program
• July August, 2000

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3 X 4 Mixed Design
Between Subjects 3 Groups Within Subjects 4
Rounds
1 Practice - Slow Medium Fast (n16)
2 Practice - Fast Medium Slow (n17)
3 No music during any round (n16)
Dependent Variable 1 Typing Speed Dependent
Variable 2 Typing Accuracy

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Typing Speed
Source p partial n2 Between Groups
lt.05 .14 Within Rounds lt.001
.02 Groups x Rounds n.s. ----
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Gross CPM by Group Round
SlowMedFast
Group
FastMedSlow
Gross CPM Practice
Gross CPM Round 1
NoMusic
Gross CPM Round 2
Gross CPM Round 3
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Gross Characters per Minute
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Conclusions

• Music may distract from productivity regardless
  of aesthetic enjoyment.

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What if the tempo changes within the piece of
music??
Was music distracting because the typing test was
complex???
Lets try a math test!
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Experiment 2Tempo Direction and Text
ConsistencyImplications for Test-Taking

• Jeffrey M. Miller
• Blaine Peden, Ph.D.
• Course Requirement
• August, 2000

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2 X 2 Factorial Design
Between Subjects Variable 1 Tempo Acceleration
or Tempo Deceleration
Between Subjects Variable 2 Consistent Font or
Inconsistent Font
Dependent Variable 1 Math Problems
Completed Dependent Variable 2 Math Accuracy

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Math Problems Completed
Source p partial n2 Tempo lt.001
.42 Font .06
.09 Tempo x Font .07 .08
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Math Problems Correctly Solved
Source p partial n2 Tempo lt.001
.34 Font n.s.
---- Tempo x Font n.s. ----
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Conclusion
Accelerating tempos promote higher rates of math
completion and accuracy.
Alternatively,The accelerating tempo was less
readily perceived, and, hence, less distracting
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What if some math problems are simple and some
are complex?
What if the tempo changes between groups?
What if we use music by a different composer?
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Experiment 3Complexity and Range of
Modulation Factors in Tempo Perception

• Jeffrey M. Miller
• Blaine Peden, Ph.D.
• Funded by University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
• February, 2001

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3 X 2 Mixed Design
Between Subjects 3 Groups Within Subjects 2
Rounds
1 No tempo increase
2 Tempo increase of 25
3 Tempo increase of 50

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Schneider Shiffrin (1977)
Automatic Processes 300 200 100
Controlled Processes 385 279 193
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Math Problems Completed
Source p partial n2 Tempo lt.001
.10 Complexity lt.001
.68 Tempo x Complexity lt.001 .03
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Math Problem Errors
Source p partial n2 Tempo n.s.
--- Complexity lt.001
.08 Tempo x Complexity n.s. ---
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Conclusion

• Faster tempos decrease math completion regardless
  of test complexity

ANOTHER VARIABLE!!!
Melodic Activity
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Typing Math Complexity
Tempo Stable Changed between selections Unstable Changed within the selection Stable Changed between groups
Composer Haydn Haydn Bach
Task Complex Simple Both
Results Favor No music Acceleration 96 bpm (or slower?)
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FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Typing Study Replication in the Workplace
Math and Complexity Studies
1. Include 25 and 50 SLOWER hypothesizing that
scores increase for simple problems at slower
tempos.
2. Compare the Bach and Haydn pieces
hypothesizing that the Haydn piece promotes
higher scores at different levels of tempo
increase due to differences in melodic activity.
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THANK YOU!!!
UWEC Office of Sponsored Programs Research
Dr. Blaine PedenLee Anna Rasar, MMEd.Dr. Mickey
Crothers
Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement
Program