Of all the arts, music is probably the one that awakens the most emotions – and the fastest -. It can bring us to tears or euphoria. Numerous warriors of different cultures of all times have entered combat singing or inflamed by war melodies. Film directors manipulate us with it. And neuroscientists have found that it triggers discharges of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that has been called “the pleasure messenger,” in the brain, just like sex or food.
But among its powerful effects, does it figure to make us more productive?
Yes, according to a study prepared by Kathleen R. Keeler, a doctoral student at the University of the Commonwealth of Virginia (United States), and José M. Cortina, professor at the School of Business of that Institution. But not just any type of composition is valid. This duo of researchers has investigated the relationship between the characteristics of music – volume, whether it is known or not, the lyrics … – and job performance.
A playlist for currantes
Keeler and Cortina’s work concludes that, in addition to improving productivity, music makes workers happier. His study is based on specific compositions and their influence on employees with different jobs: office, manual, repetitive or creative …
For example, More than a feeling, a well-known hit from the Boston group, seems to work as an ideal backdrop for simple tasks. Let it be, by the Beatles, would be an appropriate composition for those who need to focus on more difficult issues, such as planning or solving problems that require complex reasoning. The explanation is that the style of this famous composition favors cognitive flexibility and memory.
More lively songs, like Paint it black by the Rolling Stones, are ideal for simple, routine tasks that require a high rhythm of execution, and to maximize executive attention and control capacity: repetitive work can make it difficult to concentrate, given its boring nature, and rhythmic music that helps to focus can prevent distractions.
One of the compositions analyzed in this work is the main theme of the soundtrack of In Search of the Lost Ark. Its dynamism transmits an energy that can be transformed into a greater volume of work completed in less time. According to Cortina, ” music with different characteristics has different effects on emotions and physiology, which affect attention span.”
An exploitable phenomenon
The use of music to motivate and help employees work is not new. The American company Muzak Corporation, founded in the 1930s, pioneered the sale of “functional music” after World War II, background music that could be heard in offices and elevators. This signature was based on the work of cognitive psychologists who established the type of compositions to be reproduced, and their characteristics depending on the time of day: the liveliest songs were played first thing in the day until 10:30 in the morning , and again after 15:30.
In the following decades, shopping malls and supermarkets have been applying this knowledge to stimulate customers’ desire to buy with music.
