Linguistics in English Language Teaching (IGK 509)
Taught by Dr. Johannes Ananto Prayogo
Article summary of Neurolinguistics by Suhandoko (140221808485) Title
: Impact of Music on Brain Function during Mental Task using
Electroencephalography Author : B. Geethanjali, K. Adalarasu, R. Rajsekaran -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Music has a great effect on human body and mind; it can have a positive effect on hormone system. Objective of this study is to analyze the effect of music (Carnatic, hard rock and jazz) on brain activity during mental work load using electroencephalography (EEG). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Introduction: The basic and one of oldest socio-cognitive domains of Human species is music. Listening to music regularly helps to keep the neurons and synapses more active. Depending on the way sound waves are listened or pronounced, they have an impact in the way neurological (brain and nerve) system work in the human body. Many researchers have shown that there is the spike of intelligence quotient after having been listened to Mozart music. Each type of music has its own frequency, it can either resonate or it can be in conflict with the bodys rhythms (heart rate). Each frequency bands of EEG rhythm relates to specific functions of brain. Beta activity relates to increased alertness and cognitive processes. While listening to pleasant music there is decrease in alpha power at the left frontal lobe (logic) and unpleasant music produces decrease in alpha power at the right frontal lobe (creativity). When subjects listen to the pleasant music the changes were reflected in the EEG and there was an increase in frontal midline (Fm) theta power. Fm theta was observed during a large variety of tasks, such as mental calculation, working memory, learning, and meditation. Listening to music increases the power at theta and alpha frequencies of the human EEG. Selecting the right type of music was important because the EEG spectral power depend on the intensity and style of music. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Materials and Method A. Subjects Summary 8 unpaid young adults (2 men and women). The average age was 20 Years old. The average body weight was 68 kg. They read and signed the letter of consent before participating the research. Experiments were performed at the Biomedical Engineering Division, SSN college of Engineering, Chennai The experiment was conducted in the morning with a normal diet in a sound proof room sitting on a comfortable chair and performed as per the guidelines of the Institutional Ethics Committee of SSN College for human volunteer research
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B. Mental Task using PSYTASK Software
PSYTASK is a program for preparation and carrying out both psychophysics and psychophysiology investigations. The subject should respond to presentation of stimuli (both visual and acoustic) by pressing a buttons or ignore them in dependence on the subject task. The task is presented either visually (presented in the monitor of computer) or acoustically (spoken language). C. Experiment Protocol - 3 types of music were selected (Jazz, Carnatic, and Hard Rock) - Participants were given Psytask while listening to music. - To check whether the participants are mentally competent, a Mini Mental Test (MMT) was conducted. Scores of 25 - 30 out of 30 are considered normal; NICE classify 21 - 24 as mild, 10 - 20 as moderate and < 10 as severe impairment. Subjects who scored 23 out of 26 were selected for recording. - EEG was recorded for three conditions, With Music and No Mental task (Condition 1), With Music and With Mental task (Condition 2), Rest (No Music and No Mental task, Condition 3) D. Electrode Placement To record the frequency of the brain wave, the electrode was placed on the participants head. Through this, the researcher obtained the data on the changes of the brain during the experiments. E. Data Processing During the recording, the researcher calculated each spectrum of the brain waves in the three different music using three different rhythm: brain rhythms alpha (8 - 13 Hz) beta (13 - 32 Hz) and theta (4 - 8 Hz). F. Statistical Test A one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed on three conditions for with and without mental task while listening to music three different type of music. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Results A. Jazz Music - While listening Jazz music there is a significant difference in the alpha power in the three different experimental conditions (Music with mental task, music with no mental task, without music without mental task) - There is a significant difference in the theta power in the three different experimental conditions while listening jazz. Similarly there is significantly increase in theta power during jazz music with work task as compared to listening music without mental task. - Beta power was significant difference in three experimental condition while listening to jazz. B. Carnatic Music - During carnatic music there is a significant difference in the beta power in the three different experimental conditions.
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There is a significant difference in the beta power in the three different
experimental conditions. The frontal lobe is associated with decisionmaking, problem solving, and planning and the Pattern of high beta activity in normal person indicates the subjects were engaged in processing information during music with mental task moreover it also clearly indicates rapid or excessive thinking while performing mental calculations. - There is a significant difference in the beta power in the three different experimental conditions at Pz, F (2, 21) = 0.171, (p < 0.05). The Post hoc analysis of Tukey multiple comparisons test revealed that beta power was not shown any significantly different between three experimental conditions. C. Hard Rock Music - There is no significant difference while listening to hard rock for all the three conditions at all the three locations (Alpha, theta, Beta). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Discussion 1. It is evident from the results of our study shows that Jazz and Carnatic music significantly improves brain function as compared to hard rock during mental task. 2. When jazz music was played the spectral power of alpha band was significantly high which indicates the subjects were more relaxed while doing the mental task. 3. When Carnatic music was played there was a significantly high beta activity in all the three locations which indicates the subjects were actively thinking. 4. There is no significant difference of the spectrum wave when the participants were played the Hard Rock music. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Remarks In my personal judgment, this article is beneficial for me, and also other teachers, to give the empirical framework about the influence of using music especially classical, jazz, Carnatic music in boosting brain capability for the better learning. The result of this research can be used in pedagogy especially language teaching by applying the music in the teaching and learning process i.e. suggestopedia where the learning activity is supported with the relaxing time. The students are put in very comfortable and relaxing environment and played comfortable music. These music genres (jazz, classical, Carnatic) are believed to be able to improve the brain capability in memory by placing the brain into certain spectrum wave. Say, Alpha wave is considered as the place where the brain has the super memory. This spectrum wave is very good especially in vocabulary teaching to make the students more efficient in memorizing words. Although the article does not mention about its benefits in terms of language teaching, at least, it gives glance description that brain is very powerful organ of human body that teacher should take into account in preparing their language teaching. Teaching means changing the way the students think and this needs the understanding how the brain works.
Nguyen, M. T. (2011). Learning to Communicate in a Globalized World to What Extent Do School Textbooks Facilitate the Development of Intercultural Pragmatic Competence RELC Journal, 42(1), 17-30. Doi1