Written by Matias Mane & Henrik Sillanpää
For most of us music is an immense part of our everyday life. Music is listened for many different reasons, but the main reasons behind it are probably that it lifts your mood, it makes you feel related and it helps to calm down. Of course, the reasons behind listening to music depends largely on every individual and one's current setting (surroundings, feelings, atmosphere etc.).
ls there a connection between music and motivation?
As it was pointed out in the sixth lecture of Psychology of Pervasive Computing by Aino Ahtinen, the four factors affecting motivation are needs, values, goals and emotions. The main part of motivation that music affects is our emotions. Even sad music brings most listeners pleasure and comfort, according to recent research from Durham University in the United Kingdom and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, published in PLOS ONE. As said in the lecture six slides, emotions affect motivation if the target or action leading to the target feels pleasant or unpleasant. So, if music, whether sad or happy can affect positively to our emotions and emotions affect our motivation, a straightforward conclusion can be made: music has a big effect to our motivation.
Music increasing exercise performance
“Altering the mind’s arousal state with music will result in an increased exercise performance, as if the music is ‘psyching’ one up to perform exercise better,” wrote researchers Karageorghis and Terry in their review of the psychophysical effects of music in sport and exercise (1997). There is lot of known professional athletes that listen to so called hard music before entering the stage/court so that they get to the zone of focus and are as the researchers Karageorgis and Terry said get in the psych zone. We think and believe as well that even in the daily life, listening to music gives you power to push yourself to go further (work, gym or even studying). The music does not need to be always hard music to get in the zone, as this is mostly depending on the task that you are performing and as well in the listener. For someone it could be that jazz helps you to relax and helps you focus on studying when someone else could get in the so called “zone“ by listening to something else.
Music applications and your motivation
There are thousands of different music applications available for everyone. They range from apps that simply let you listen to music to apps that will let you make your own music. Music can be a huge part of either maintaining motivation or working to grow it. So, if you’re a in search for motivation go and listen to music, make music, or discuss about it. It helps.
References
Aino Ahtinen , “Psychology of Pervasive Computing”, Lecture 6, 1.10.2018, Tampere University of Technology
https://journals.pIos.org/pIosone/articIe?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0157444
ls there a connection between music and motivation?
As it was pointed out in the sixth lecture of Psychology of Pervasive Computing by Aino Ahtinen, the four factors affecting motivation are needs, values, goals and emotions. The main part of motivation that music affects is our emotions. Even sad music brings most listeners pleasure and comfort, according to recent research from Durham University in the United Kingdom and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, published in PLOS ONE. As said in the lecture six slides, emotions affect motivation if the target or action leading to the target feels pleasant or unpleasant. So, if music, whether sad or happy can affect positively to our emotions and emotions affect our motivation, a straightforward conclusion can be made: music has a big effect to our motivation.
Music increasing exercise performance
“Altering the mind’s arousal state with music will result in an increased exercise performance, as if the music is ‘psyching’ one up to perform exercise better,” wrote researchers Karageorghis and Terry in their review of the psychophysical effects of music in sport and exercise (1997). There is lot of known professional athletes that listen to so called hard music before entering the stage/court so that they get to the zone of focus and are as the researchers Karageorgis and Terry said get in the psych zone. We think and believe as well that even in the daily life, listening to music gives you power to push yourself to go further (work, gym or even studying). The music does not need to be always hard music to get in the zone, as this is mostly depending on the task that you are performing and as well in the listener. For someone it could be that jazz helps you to relax and helps you focus on studying when someone else could get in the so called “zone“ by listening to something else.
Music applications and your motivation
There are thousands of different music applications available for everyone. They range from apps that simply let you listen to music to apps that will let you make your own music. Music can be a huge part of either maintaining motivation or working to grow it. So, if you’re a in search for motivation go and listen to music, make music, or discuss about it. It helps.
References
Aino Ahtinen , “Psychology of Pervasive Computing”, Lecture 6, 1.10.2018, Tampere University of Technology
https://journals.pIos.org/pIosone/articIe?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0157444
I definitely agree that a specific type of music gets you to a mood which makes your exercise more efficient. Though music can be used also in other way to improve exercising: I think it’s easier to maintain a specific running speed if you listen to music which has the right amount beats per minute (BPM). Especially if running slower/faster than usual, it’s easier the follow the rhythm than try remembering the new speed. And if you’re getting tired, it’s easier to keep going when you’re hearing the beat.
ReplyDeleteHI! Thank for your post! I really like it and I think that you desribed how music affects motivation in a very good and clear way!
ReplyDeleteYes exactly we in generally listen to music to raise our mood, to have positive emotions that, as you said, are one of the factors that affect motivation.
If we notice accurately we are sorrounded by music: we listen to it when we are at the bus stop, while we walk, we stay with friends, under the shower, while we are doing sport and in public spaces as shop and markets. I think the reason is exactly this one: it doesn’t matter the type of the music, in any case it makes us happier in general and incrise our motivation that can be keep or start doing something or, as in the case of shops, buy.
For some people music is really important also for study. Some people are in fact not able to focus their attention without music that instead motivates them to complete their tasks
Matilde Gelli
First of all, thanks for your post! I think it was well structured and written in a relatable way. As a musician myself, this topic is really close to my heart. I agree with you, the researchers and the previous commenters that music can really pump you up for a physical exercise, and for me, boring manual tasks like house chores. Just like Eija above, I have also used music when I’m running to keep me in the right pace, and there are actually even apps for matching the music to your pace.
ReplyDeleteSadly for me, I can’t use music to motivate me to study. I think it’s mostly because I’ve had music as a hobby for such a big part of my life. So, rather than getting me in the zone, music distracts me while I’m doing work that requires concentration. I start to listen to the chords, the harmonies and the instruments, in the same way that most people find music with lyrics distracting while you’re studying. Then again, I can use music to relax during breaks, and get ready to work again.
I can totally agree that music encourages to workout harder. I feel that I have more power and joy when I listen to music during exercising. So I can say that I am more motivated to move if I listen to music. Music also helps me to calm down. I noticed this at my summer job when I got really stressed some days. After listening music I like I was motivated to continue my work.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on points that given in your post. I myself listen to music a lot especially while i'm working. Music type is different between people but listen to music in general could help people in many aspect.
ReplyDeleteMusic is the only way that could help me get out of low mood situation and it make me feel better when bad things happen.
I also agree with your points and that music is increasing motivation and helping to handle hard times and bad feelings. Music helps to perform your sport exercise and you can also relax. It is still interesting as said in previous comments that some of us can’t listen to music while studying or working that affects negatively to focusing on. I learned to listen some music while studying and working (that was before impossible) by listening same pieces over and over again but still some different music genres are disturbing. I also have several music hobbies so it’s interesting if there is some connection like Henna mentioned that musicians are focusing on the music itself, its structure or singing technique.
ReplyDeleteI have heard that music is also really good to our brains especially if you do your own music e.g. sing or play. However, in many yoga and mind relaxing techniques it is said that it is better to restore your mind if you don’t listen to music so you think only your breathing etc.
Jane
I totally agree with you! I feel more focused when I listen to music while working or training. I feel like I get better result when I listen to the music I really like, for example if the song is good, I can run faster and longer and if I really have to focus at work I need to listen to some music. Music really does motivate.
ReplyDeleteRiina P
Personally, I don’t usually want to listen to music while I do something else. I want to concentrate on the music and usually it would only distract me for doing something else at the same time. Maybe the reason for this is that I’m a musician and I also compose music. So music is perhaps too important for me to be used in the background. I could perhaps use music in the background if the music is not my favorite kind, maybe then I don’t care to concentrate too much on listening to the music and could do something else at the same time. But yes, music really is about feelings, expressing them when singing, playing an instrument or even composing music and make the listener feel something too.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Music can motivate people. People can relate emotional psychological relation with music. Whenever I am in good mood I like to listen to happy music because it gives me enjoyment. However, sad music also affect my emotion as it makes me sadder. So, In my opinion, music can motivate you to do things in a good mood also it can make you sad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! I think you wrote about music as a motivator in a very relatable way as Henna earlier commented. I liked how you also connected actual research outcome to the topic as well.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that music can really give an extra boost for exercise! But I have noticed also that listening to music that you don't like may have really negative effect on your mood. So it is fair to say that music really affects our emotions and mindset and through those to our motivation as well.
-Miko