Cognitive interference can be mitigated by consonant music and facilitated by dissonant music. 


Author: Masataka N, Perlovsky L.

Affiliation: Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan. 
Conference/Journal: Sci Rep.
Date published: 2013 Jun 19
Other:
 Volume ID: 3   ,  Pages: 2028   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1038/srep02028   ,  Word Count: 99  
    

Debates on the origins of consonance and dissonance in music have a long history. While some scientists argue that consonance judgments are an acquired competence based on exposure to the musical-system-specific knowledge of a particular culture, others favor a biological explanation for the observed preference for consonance. Here we provide experimental confirmation that this preference plays an adaptive role in human cognition: it reduces cognitive interference. The results of our experiment reveal that exposure to a Mozart minuet mitigates interference, whereas, conversely, when the music is modified to consist of mostly dissonant intervals the interference effect is intensified.

PMID: 23778307