ANSWERS: 1
  • <h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: One Famous Study Suggests it's Possible

    First called the "Mozart Effect" by Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis in 1991, the ability of classical music to help the human brain develop has been studied for years. A 1993 study called "Music and Spatial Task Performance" was published in "Nature" magazine and showed that participants' IQ scores were eight to nine points higher after listening to a Mozart sonata.

    On the Other: Others Contradict

    Though many took the 1993 report to mean that this effect would apply to fetal brain development, the study was conducted on college students and drew no correlation to brains of other age groups. Additionally, the "Mozart effect" was not able to be replicated in subsequent studies and was refuted in a 1999 Appalachian State University report published in the journal "Psychological Science."

    Bottom Line

    Despite one well-publicized study indicating that Mozart could positively effect spacial reasoning in a group of college students, there is no specific scientific evidence that classical music of any kind can help support fetal brain development during pregnancy.

    Source:

    Nature; "Music and spatial task performance"; Rauscher, Shaw and Ky; 1993

    Psychological Science: "The Mozart Effect: Failure To Replicate"; Steele, Bass and Crook; 1999

    New York Times: Mozart For Baby? Some Say, Maybe Not

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy