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Effects of background music on numerical and spatial location working memory: differences between extraverts and
Mingming Deng1,2, Xiuzhu Gu3, Feng Wu1,2
1School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Ergonomics
|July 7, 2024
Summary
Background music negatively impacts spatial working memory, especially for introverts. Numerical working memory performance was unaffected by music or personality type. Consider personality in music-related work environments.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Environmental Psychology
Background:
- Background music is prevalent in many work environments.
- Individual differences, such as personality, may modulate music's cognitive effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of background music on numerical and spatial working memory.
- To examine how personality traits (extraversion and introversion) influence these effects.
Main Methods:
- Sixty participants (30 extraverts, 30 introverts) completed working memory tasks.
- Tasks were performed under two conditions: background music and silence.
Main Results:
- Background music significantly impaired spatial working memory performance.
- Introverts showed a more pronounced negative effect from music compared to extraverts.
- No significant effects of music or personality were found for numerical working memory.
Conclusions:
- Background music can hinder spatial working memory, with introverts being more susceptible.
- Personality traits should be considered when evaluating the impact of music in occupational settings.
- Numerical working memory appears unaffected by background music or personality.
