Walk into any college library and you will likely see students wearing headphones and listening to music.

The idea that music can improve learning has been around for decades. The “Mozart Effect,” is the pop psychology myth, first hypothesized in a 1993 paper, that listening to classical music can help people retain and process new information.

As an educational psychologist who studies cognition and motivation, my research explores how students regulate their learning and attention amid digital distractions.

Listening to music is a common strategy students use to try to stay focused.

However, there is no single answer to whether music helps learners study or not.

How music can help or interfere with studying

Researchers generally agree that the relationship between music and learning is complex. The effects of music on studying and other cognitively demanding tasks appear to depend on the type of task performed, the kind of music and the students themselves.

Some researchers argue that music helps students focus, improve their mood and generally learn. Others have found that listening to music interferes with thinking, especially when the music is fast and loud, or when it has lyrics.

I wanted to better understand what lies behind conflicting research on why students listen to music and whether it makes it easier or harder for them to focus. In a study conducted over the past two years, I asked 163 college students about their music listening........

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