A Vancouver Island University psychology student is probing the science behind human responses to music.
Mikaila Tombe, who is also a Nanaimo musician, has begun a pilot study to collect data on human responses to diverse styles of music. The project, which started last month with a call for study subjects, is the first phase of a series of studies, which Tombe hopes could one day lead to therapeutic and learning applications.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really interested in how different music can impact things like our mood and energy and the possibility of how it can affect other cognitive processes as well, like cognitive attention, spatial ability and whatnot B次元官网网址� So, right now, IB次元官网网址檓 doing a pilot study because I have to figure out what music clips IB次元官网网址檓 going to use for the main study.B次元官网网址�
TombeB次元官网网址檚 Arousal and Valence Through Musical Stimulation pilot study will collect data about study subjectsB次元官网网址� mood and arousal responses to a series of sample music selections.
B次元官网网址淵ou can think of it as an energy arousal,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e listening to music thatB次元官网网址檚 really upbeat, some people would feel really energized from that, and if youB次元官网网址檙e listening to music thatB次元官网网址檚 very calm or very slow, like spa music, then that, for some people, might elicit a very calming energy.B次元官网网址�
Tombe said her lifelong experience with music sparked her interest in looking at what implications music might have in education and psychology.
B次元官网网址淲hen I came here and started my studies B次元官网网址� I got into this area of music cognition research [and] it was kind of this lightbulb moment that was, oh, wow, you can research this kind of stuff.B次元官网网址�
Tombe said people are realizing there are cognitive benefits to learning about and playing music and how it can interconnect with various ways of learning B次元官网网址� learning about themselves and learning how to communicate and work with others.
B次元官网网址淚n my readings, I found that there seems to be a benefit to people who not only play music in general, but if youB次元官网网址檙e playing music throughout your lifespan, especially at younger ages, it seems to hold some type of benefit later on in life, especially in those STEM areas B次元官网网址� It just applies to everything in some type of way,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淒own the road IB次元官网网址檇 love to do some longitudinal studies looking at the relationship between those people who have played music their entire lives and looking at different processes that are related to cognition and attention.B次元官网网址�
She is already considering ways, depending on her research results, that music might aid learning and if it has potential mental and emotional therapeutic applications. SheB次元官网网址檚 interested in possible benefits of intertwining music-based educational curriculums with non-music curriculums.
B次元官网网址淢usic cognition research, itB次元官网网址檚 a growing field, but are there ways that we can add to that body of literature?B次元官网网址次元官网网址� she asked. B次元官网网址淐an those benefits be spread to other types of learning?B次元官网网址�
Tombe was a working musician until the COVID-19 pandemic impacted live performances, but it also gave her the opportunity to pursue a degree in psychology. The research sheB次元官网网址檚 currently undertaking is for her undergraduate thesis.
B次元官网网址淩ight now the music side of my life is more writing and working in other peopleB次元官网网址檚 recording sessions and whatnot, which is great because I still love doing that,B次元官网网址� she said.
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