TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of music and auditory stimulation on autonomic arousal, cognition and attention
T2 - A systematic review
AU - Chee, Zhong Jian
AU - Chang, Chern Yi Marybeth
AU - Cheong, Jean Yi
AU - Malek, Fatin Hannah Binte Abdul
AU - Hussain, Shahad
AU - de Vries, Marieke
AU - Bellato, Alessio
PY - 2024/3/16
Y1 - 2024/3/16
N2 - According to the arousal-mood hypothesis, changes in arousal and mood when exposed to auditory stimulation underlie the detrimental effects or improvements in cognitive performance. Findings supporting or against this hypothesis are, however, often based on subjective ratings of arousal rather than autonomic/physiological indices of arousal. To assess the arousal-mood hypothesis, we carried out a systematic review of the literature on 31 studies investigating cardiac, electrodermal, and pupillometry measures when exposed to different types of auditory stimulation (music, ambient noise, white noise, and binaural beats) in relation to cognitive performance. Our review suggests that the effects of music, noise, or binaural beats on cardiac, electrodermal, and pupillometry measures in relation to cognitive performance are either mixed or insufficient to draw conclusions. Importantly, the evidence for or against the arousal-mood hypothesis is at best indirect because autonomic arousal and cognitive performance are often considered separately. Future research is needed to directly evaluate the effects of auditory stimulation on autonomic arousal and cognitive performance holistically.
AB - According to the arousal-mood hypothesis, changes in arousal and mood when exposed to auditory stimulation underlie the detrimental effects or improvements in cognitive performance. Findings supporting or against this hypothesis are, however, often based on subjective ratings of arousal rather than autonomic/physiological indices of arousal. To assess the arousal-mood hypothesis, we carried out a systematic review of the literature on 31 studies investigating cardiac, electrodermal, and pupillometry measures when exposed to different types of auditory stimulation (music, ambient noise, white noise, and binaural beats) in relation to cognitive performance. Our review suggests that the effects of music, noise, or binaural beats on cardiac, electrodermal, and pupillometry measures in relation to cognitive performance are either mixed or insufficient to draw conclusions. Importantly, the evidence for or against the arousal-mood hypothesis is at best indirect because autonomic arousal and cognitive performance are often considered separately. Future research is needed to directly evaluate the effects of auditory stimulation on autonomic arousal and cognitive performance holistically.
KW - Music
KW - Auditory
KW - Sound
KW - Autonomic
KW - Arousal
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112328
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112328
M3 - Review article
C2 - 38458383
SN - 0167-8760
VL - 199
JO - International Journal of Psychophysiology
JF - International Journal of Psychophysiology
M1 - 112328
ER -