Research Spotlight

The purpose of the Research Spotlight is to showcase the work being done by Mount Aloysius College faculty, staff, current students, and alumni. We look forward to your suggestions and you can apply for consideration here.

Student researchers in PSYC 271 Research & Design Analysis II investigated the “Effect of Contrasting Music Genres on Studying and Recall” during the Fall 2023 semester. Existing literature on the topic showed mixed results as to whether and how listening to music while studying affects learning. The student researchers believed that one potential reason for the inconsistent results might be the use of varied types of music, which they chose to test. Specifically, they hypothesized that the 40 student participants would recall more words when they listened to classical music and fewer when they listened to rock music while studying than when there was silence during the study phase. Instead, participants recalled similar numbers of words across all three conditions indicating they learned equally well despite the presence and varied nature of environmental noise. Although these results could have been caused by measurement error alone, they may also reflect a long-term adaptation to studying under varying conditions in the tested student population. By doing this project, the student researchers learned how to propose and conduct experimental research, practiced their information literacy and communication skills, and experienced the joy of doing research…just look at their smiling faces!