Mozart effect

a temporary increase in the affect or performance of research participants on tasks involving spatial–temporal reasoning after listening to the music of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). More generally, the term refers to the possibility that listening to certain types of music enhances inherent cognitive functioning. Apart from the neurological research on this effect, some experts propose an arousal theory perspective, such that listening to music heightens emotional levels that correspond to higher performance on intelligence tests. The notion of the Mozart effect has entered into popular culture to carry the as-yet-unsupported suggestion that early childhood exposure to classical music benefits mental development or intelligence.

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Psychology term of the day

January 15th 2025

overcontrolled

adj. denoting behavior that is inhibited and constrained, often driven by shyness or fear of rejection. The word is typically used to describe the behavior of children thought to be at risk for depression, but it may also refer to similar behavior in adults.