As someone interested in how people learn and remember information, I’ve been exploring new methods to improve the learning process. In a recent informal experiment, I tested the effects of music mixed with audiobooks or textbooks.
The rationale is twofold. First, listening to dense informative material for long periods can cause fatigue and distraction. Periodically switching to an upbeat song can refresh the mind by stimulating pleasure centers in the brain. This short break aims to prevent the learner from disengaging when they return to the textbook audio.
Secondly, alternating between the two audio types requires the brain to rapidly switch processing modes. Music engages emotional, movement, and aesthetic areas, while textbooks stimulate logical and linguistic regions. Frequently toggling between the two may activate and strengthen neural connections throughout the brain, potentially supporting better retention compared to passively listening to just one type of audio.
In my preliminary trial, I alternated 15-minute sessions of upbeat pop songs with 15 minutes of an audiobook. Without trying to memorize anything, I was surprisingly able to recall more details from the book several days later, compared to passive listening in the past. The musical breaks seemed to refresh my mental state and maintain engagement.
Of course, more rigorous research would be needed to prove any cognitive benefits. But this novel approach warrants further investigation, given today’s abundant access to digital audio content. With optimization, music mixed with audio textbooks may unlock untapped potential for learning on the go.
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Sources
Callan, D. E., Tsytsarev, V., Hanakawa, T., Callan, A. M., Katsuhara, M., Fukuyama, H., & Turner, R. (2006). Songs incorporate the sensorimotor representations of speech sequences. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 18(6), 980-991.
Kandler, C., Unger, A., Spinath, F. M., & Riemann, R. (2015). Complex relationships between music sophistication, intelligence, personality, and creativity. Psychology of aesthetics, creativity, and the arts, 9(2), 110.