| Students often claim they can study for exams and complete homework assignments effectively while listening to music. However, scores on national achievement tests indicate otherwise. Empirical studies of the effects of lyrical music on reading comprehension are limited and mixed in their findings. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of lyrical music on the performance of a reading comprehension task in junior high school students. Theories such as personal construct theory and social identity theory formed the basis for the study; concepts such as attention and distraction, self-discipline and self-regulation, and the role of music in adolescent identity development and formation were considered. Three-hundred-thirty-four 7 th and 8th graders completed the reading comprehension subtest of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, Fourth Edition, under nonmusic conditions and with accompanying music composed of Billboard Magazine's Top Hit Singles. Following the music portion of the test, the students completed a survey to assess their preference for or against listening to music as they study. An Analysis of Variance procedure determined that the reading performance declined significantly when listening to music. A point-biserial correlation illustrated a more pronounced detrimental effect on comprehension for students exhibiting a stronger preference for listening to music while studying. Results are important for furthering student, parent, and educator understanding of the internal and external influences on study habits with the goal of designing, implementing, and evaluating support systems and strategies uniquely tailored to the developmental needs and personal preferences of adolescents. |
