The sonic energy of background music impacts cognitive performances: a behavioral and physiological investigation

TL;DR

Background music with different energy levels affects attention and cognitive performance, suggesting that music choice should match task demands.

Contribution

This study empirically investigates how sonic energy of background music influences cognitive performance and physiological responses.

Findings

Both low- and high-arousing music increased physiological activation and task enjoyment.

Background music improved executive control and verbal fluency over time.

High-arousing music increased perceived cognitive effort during attention tasks.

Abstract

Listening to background music while engaging in mental tasks is a popular habit. Despite the diverse playlists conceived for this purpose, the optimal sonic energy (calming vs. arousing) of a musical excerpt that may benefit cognitive performances remains poorly understood, particularly in relation to the specific demands of the task. To clarify this issue, we asked participants to perform an Attention Network Test and a phonemic Verbal Fluency Task, in silence and while listening to low- and high-arousing unfamiliar musical excerpts. Excerpts sonic energy was determined by musical features analysis, followed by a subjective evaluation of the excerpts’ arousal potential. Behavioral, physiological and subjective measures were collected. Results showed that the presence of both the low- and high-arousing music increased physiological activation and enhanced the pleasure experienced during task execution. Behavioral findings revealed beneficial effects of background music on executive control-related attentional abilities and word production fluidity across time. Finally, participants experienced more cognitive effort during the attentional task with the high-arousing excerpt, while no differences were observed in the Verbal Fluency Task. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring background music sonic energy to the demands of the task in order to mobilize resources and enhance enjoyment without disrupting cognitive performances.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41235-025-00676-9.

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