Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements
Abstract Using background music (BGM) during learning is a common behavior, yet whether BGM can facilitate or hinder learning remains inconclusive and the underlying mechanism is largely an open question. This study aims to elucidate the effect of self-selected BGM on reading task for learners with...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28426-1 |
| _version_ | 1811171738069762048 |
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| author | Ying Que Yueyuan Zheng Janet H. Hsiao Xiao Hu |
| author_facet | Ying Que Yueyuan Zheng Janet H. Hsiao Xiao Hu |
| author_sort | Ying Que |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Using background music (BGM) during learning is a common behavior, yet whether BGM can facilitate or hinder learning remains inconclusive and the underlying mechanism is largely an open question. This study aims to elucidate the effect of self-selected BGM on reading task for learners with different characteristics. Particularly, learners’ reading task performance, metacognition, and eye movements were examined, in relation to their personal traits including language proficiency, working memory capacity, music experience and personality. Data were collected from a between-subject experiment with 100 non-native English speakers who were randomly assigned into two groups. Those in the experimental group read English passages with music of their own choice played in the background, while those in the control group performed the same task in silence. Results showed no salient differences on passage comprehension accuracy or metacognition between the two groups. Comparisons on fine-grained eye movement measures reveal that BGM imposed heavier cognitive load on post-lexical processes but not on lexical processes. It was also revealed that students with higher English proficiency level or more frequent BGM usage in daily self-learning/reading experienced less cognitive load when reading with their BGM, whereas students with higher working memory capacity (WMC) invested more mental effort than those with lower WMC in the BGM condition. These findings further scientific understanding of how BGM interacts with cognitive tasks in the foreground, and provide practical guidance for learners and learning environment designers on making the most of BGM for instruction and learning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:19:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0dcc9b108550461b92bc85950c62e413 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:19:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-0dcc9b108550461b92bc85950c62e4132023-02-05T12:09:50ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-01-0113111810.1038/s41598-023-28426-1Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movementsYing Que0Yueyuan Zheng1Janet H. Hsiao2Xiao Hu3Faculty of Education, The University of Hong KongDepartment of Psychology, The University of Hong KongDepartment of Psychology, The University of Hong KongFaculty of Education, The University of Hong KongAbstract Using background music (BGM) during learning is a common behavior, yet whether BGM can facilitate or hinder learning remains inconclusive and the underlying mechanism is largely an open question. This study aims to elucidate the effect of self-selected BGM on reading task for learners with different characteristics. Particularly, learners’ reading task performance, metacognition, and eye movements were examined, in relation to their personal traits including language proficiency, working memory capacity, music experience and personality. Data were collected from a between-subject experiment with 100 non-native English speakers who were randomly assigned into two groups. Those in the experimental group read English passages with music of their own choice played in the background, while those in the control group performed the same task in silence. Results showed no salient differences on passage comprehension accuracy or metacognition between the two groups. Comparisons on fine-grained eye movement measures reveal that BGM imposed heavier cognitive load on post-lexical processes but not on lexical processes. It was also revealed that students with higher English proficiency level or more frequent BGM usage in daily self-learning/reading experienced less cognitive load when reading with their BGM, whereas students with higher working memory capacity (WMC) invested more mental effort than those with lower WMC in the BGM condition. These findings further scientific understanding of how BGM interacts with cognitive tasks in the foreground, and provide practical guidance for learners and learning environment designers on making the most of BGM for instruction and learning.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28426-1 |
| spellingShingle | Ying Que Yueyuan Zheng Janet H. Hsiao Xiao Hu Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements Scientific Reports |
| title | Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| title_full | Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| title_fullStr | Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| title_short | Studying the effect of self-selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| title_sort | studying the effect of self selected background music on reading task with eye movements |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28426-1 |
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