Throughout the last century, a lot of research has been done on the influence of music on the human subconscious. Music is perceived at the level of the senses, so it has a stronger impact on us than movies or videos, which we perceive visually.
First of all, the influence occurs on the brain areas that control behavior, attention, memory, organization and planning of actions. Music is also capable of evoking a variety of emotions and influencing our moods, so songs that describe our current emotional state can stimulate the hormones of happiness. In addition, one way to combat anxiety and depression may be to listen to music that brings up positive emotions. Studies show that meditative or classical music reduces stress and promotes relaxation, music with low tempo and low acuity activates the autonomic nervous system and reduces the level of cortisol – a stress hormone.
Music also helps you to concentrate on your studies and make them more effective. The greatest concentration is brought by calm and measured melodies in which there are no words: they only distract more and drag attention to themselves. There are plenty of playlists for concentration on music platforms as well as direct videos on YouTube that last several hours and play calm beats for greater immersion in work or study. Instrumental compositions tend to be more influential on concentration on any task, and a universal example is the music of the Austrian composer Mozart.
In the late 1950s in the U.S., the first studies were conducted on the impact of music on customers directly. These studies found that soft relaxing music creates a cozy atmosphere in the salesroom, encouraging customers not to rush and devote more time to choosing purchases. Fast music provokes the opposite effect and is used, for example, during busy hours to speed up the movement of shoppers. Marketers have been using background sounds for a long time to keep customers in their establishments. If a person is comfortable, convenient and they like the music, they spend longer in shopping centers, cafes, or restaurants. But as soon as it comes to the forefront – disturbing communication or comfort – people immediately leave such places.
An interesting fact identified by psychologists is the ” matching” of artificial musical rhythms and natural biological rhythms in the human body. If these rhythms are the same, the influence is increased. In other words, if the activity is calm, measured and quiet, the musical background will contribute to efficiency. On the other hand, if an unbalanced and aggressive state prevails, the appropriate music will support this mood in a person. In this case, the biological rhythm is adapted to the musical rhythm. Music is an objective phenomenon and cannot be changed under the influence of desires and moods, and a person has to be adjusted to it and follow its rhythm.
Radmyla Klovan
Photo Freepic