The Effect of Background Music on the Mathematics Test Anxiety of ...

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One group took a College Algebra exam in silence, and the second group took the exam
while listening to classical background music. His research showed no difference
between pre- and post-anxiety inventory scores for the group listening to music during an
entire exam, while the level <strong>of</strong> anxiety increased for students taking the exam in silence.
While the present study does not support Hardie’s research, the findings <strong>of</strong> Cohen (1994)
and Blanchard (1979) are supported. Cohen used a relaxation treatment involving muscle
relaxation, imaging, and background music to reduce the test anxiety <strong>of</strong> nursing students.
Blanchard found that the use <strong>of</strong> background music during an exam reduced test anxiety.
Research question two was used to consider the difference in the achievement
scores <strong>of</strong> the students exposed to background music while studying 10 minutes prior to
the exam as opposed to the students studying in a silent classroom for 10 minutes prior to
the exam. Two hypotheses were used to investigate this question. <strong>The</strong> first hypothesis
for this question predicted a difference in the achievement scores between the students
that studied to music and those that studied in silence. Consistent with previous research
(e.g., Hardie, 1990; Wolfe, 1983; Mowesian and Heyer, 1973; Wolf and Weiner, 1972),
the present data suggested that exam scores were not significantly higher for those
students studying in the music condition. In the previously mentioned studies the
participants listened to music during the entire exam. <strong>The</strong> present research differs in that
the students only listened to the music while entering the room.
<strong>The</strong> second hypothesis for this research question predicted that there would not be
a difference in exam scores for students with low test anxiety, while there would be a
difference in exam scores for students with high test anxiety. <strong>The</strong> present data partially
support this prediction. No significant difference in exam scores was found for either the