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Music and Divergent Thinking In a 2017 study published at PLOS.org, researchers investigated the effect of music on creativity (Ritter and Ferguson 2017). Subjects were recruited for the study using an online research participation system at a university. Four pieces of music were selected with different emotional tones: calm, happy, sad, and anxious. Subjects were randomly assigned to listen to one of these four pieces or to a group that listened to no music (silence). After 15 seconds of music (or silence) subjects were given a task that assessed their creativity and divergent thinking. Read the excerpts from the study abstract and answer the following questions. Results: Our main hypothesis was that listening to happy music, as compared to a silence control condition, facilitates divergent thinking. An independent-samples \(t\) -test was conducted to compare the happy music condition with the silence control condition on overall divergent thinking (ODT). There was a significant difference in \(\mathrm{ODT}\) between the happy music \((\mathrm{M}=93.87, \mathrm{SD}=32.02)\) and silence \((\mathrm{M}=76.10\) \(\mathrm{SD}=32.62\) ) conditions, \(\mathrm{t}(57)=2.110, \mathrm{p}=.039 .\) The results suggest that listening to happy music increases performance on overall divergent thinking. a. Identify the treatment variable and the response variable. b. Was this a controlled experiment or an observational study? Explain. c. Can you conclude from that listening happy music enhances divergent thinking? Why or why not?

Step by step solution

01

Identifying the Treatment and the Response Variables

In any experimental study, the treatment variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher, while the response variable is the variable that we want to test. Here, the treatment variable is the type of music, and the response variable is the divergent thinking.

02

Determining the Type of Study

To determine if it is a controlled experiment or an observational study, we need to check if the researchers actively controlled and manipulated the independent variable. In this study, the researchers indeed manipulated the type of music the subjects were listening to. Therefore, this was a controlled experiment.

03

Interpreting the Conclusion

To interpret the study results, we need to check if the p-value is less than 0.05, which is the common threshold for statistical significance. Here, p-value=0.039<0.05, so it indicates that the diversification effect of happy music is statistically significant, compared to silence. Furthermore, the t-statistic value is above 2, suggesting a significant difference between the two groups. So, we can conclude that listening to happy music enhances divergent thinking.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking is a key component of creativity, involving generating multiple solutions or ideas from a single prompt. It focuses on flexibility and originality. In the context of the exercise, participants were tasked with assessments requiring them to think divergently. This allowed researchers to measure how different types of music influenced their creative output. Divergent thinking contrasts with convergent thinking, where individuals are encouraged to find a single, correct answer. In teaching and learning, promoting divergent thinking can lead to innovative and out-of-the-box solutions.

Controlled Experiment

In a controlled experiment, researchers manipulate one or more variables to observe their effect on other variables. This method is crucial in establishing cause-and-effect relationships. For this study, the type of music was the independent variable manipulated to observe its effect on divergent thinking, the dependent variable. A controlled experiment often includes a control group, which, in this case, consisted of participants who listened to silence. By holding other factors constant and only varying the music, researchers make more accurate conclusions about its effect on creativity.

Statistical Significance

Statistical significance is a measure that helps researchers understand if their results are likely due to chance. It is often determined by a p-value. In this study, a p-value less than 0.05 indicates that the difference in divergent thinking between participants listening to happy music and those in silence is meaningful. A statistically significant result does not just happen by chance, indicating strong evidence to support the hypothesis that happy music enhances divergent thinking. This helps solidify conclusions drawn from experimental data.

t-test

A t-test is a statistical test used to compare the means of two groups. It helps determine if the differences observed are statistically significant. Here, the independent-samples t-test compared the means of the happy music group and the silence group in terms of overall divergent thinking. The test results showed a t-statistic (\( t(57)=2.110 \)) indicating there was a significant difference. This supports the hypothesis, reinforcing the idea that happy music may foster greater divergent thinking capabilities compared to silence.

p-value

The p-value is a statistical metric that helps researchers determine the significance of their results. A small p-value (\( p<0.05 \)) suggests that the observed results are unlikely due to random chance. For the study in question, the p-value was 0.039, below the threshold of 0.05, revealing statistically significant results. This means the likelihood that happy music improves divergent thinking isn't just a fluke. Choosing appropriate p-value thresholds is crucial, as they help validate the reliability of conclusions drawn from the data.