So far, studies have produced striking results. College students who listened to a selection of a Mozart sonata before testing showed enhanced performance on a spatial-temporal task test, and a study of ninety people copyediting a manuscript showed increased accuracy of 21 percent in the group that listened to light classical music. It's no wonder that classical music can help us concentrate. It provides a haven, masks distracting sounds, and creates a sense of privacy and well being. Campbell has been asked to advise several large corporations, including IBM, on how to use music to increase efficiency, productivity, and harmony in the workplace.
Classical music is often the best choice because it tends to balance and refresh the mind.
Campbell points out that the basic function of the ear is not just to process sound. The ear also regulates our sense of balance, and conveys sound to many parts of the brain. For instance, if we hear a foreign language, we hear sounds. But if we hear our native language, the brain gives meaning to the sounds we hear. Dr. Shaw suggests that music may be a kind of pre-language, using the same kinds of symmetries and patterns that the brain uses.