Why do some people insist silence is required for studying/learning?

Vesayen · October 18, 2003, 20:07

I dont have to deal with this anymore, but I always found it so frustrating that teachers/parents insist that you need silence to study or learn...

With the exception of math(pure calculations, not abstract math) I personally find it HARD to study if it is silent, I need some kind of backround noise or I cant concentrate on what im working on.

Right now I'm doing some java coding and I wouldnt be able to get anything done without fox news in the backround.

I try to think WHY this is and I am unsure exactly but I have an idea.

When I am working, if it is COMPLETLEY silent, I tend to day dream or think of other things, and thus cant concentrate on the work.

With the t.v. or radio or SOME kind of backround noise I am slightly concentrating on that, but also on my work, and thus I dont daydream and put my entire concentration on something else.

geeslaka · October 18, 2003, 20:12

Quote:

I wouldnt be able to get anything done without fox news in the backround

Obviously, you are powered by your anger and therefore need something in the background to piss you off.

Vesayen · October 18, 2003, 20:23

Quote:

Originally posted by geeslaka

Quote:

I wouldnt be able to get anything done without fox news in the backround

Obviously, you are powered by your anger and therefore need something in the background to piss you off.

Spiffor · October 18, 2003, 20:28

It is a matter of how much you know / master your work, and how much reflexion you need for it.

If you're doing some job you already know by heart, and which is basically a reflex to you, then background noise isn't bad. If you're having trouble understanding something, or finding a solution to it, your brain is basically more prone to concentrate on anything easier, like the woman behind explaining her menoposis on the cell phone

(I can't stand reading complicated German texts in the train

)

NeOmega · October 18, 2003, 20:54

In 6th grade my friend did a science project on the subject. Giving out history texts for people to read, and then testing afterwords.

Silence had top scores.
Classical had next.
Country
Soft Rock
Rock

With very convincing results.

Berzerker · October 18, 2003, 20:58

Because there are already too many voices in my head.

geeslaka · October 18, 2003, 21:01

Quote:

In 6th grade my friend did a science project on the subject. Giving out history texts for people to read, and then testing afterwords.

Silence had top scores.
Classical had next.
Country
Soft Rock
Rock

Well, he didn't try remixed game music, so I'm going to disregard his results.

NeOmega · October 18, 2003, 21:03

Ahoy, another Overclocked Remix fan eh?

Vesayen · October 18, 2003, 21:07

Quote:

Originally posted by NeOmega
In 6th grade my friend did a science project on the subject. Giving out history texts for people to read, and then testing afterwords.

Silence had top scores.
Classical had next.
Country
Soft Rock
Rock

With very convincing results.

I hope that was sarcasm, as your friend obviously tested no one and made up the "right" results.

st_swithin · October 18, 2003, 21:16

My brain has a single threaded input - I can't listen and focus my eyes at the same time.

And those voices in my head are pretty annoying too. They're always arguing about crap I don't care about.

Best VG music score: Wipeout 3.

geeslaka · October 18, 2003, 21:29

Quote:

Ahoy, another Overclocked Remix fan eh?

Yep, I have 1.6GB.

NeOmega · October 19, 2003, 00:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen

I hope that was sarcasm, as your friend obviously tested no one and made up the "right" results.

???? Why make such an assumption? As a matter of a fact, the test was administered during class, to a class of about 25 students, all with IQ's of 130 or greater. I am not saying the test was "balanced" as the questions were in history, and not math, but studying was required, so math would not have worked.

The only song I remember being played was The Police's "King of Pain" for soft rock......

NeOmega · October 19, 2003, 00:13

Quote:

Originally posted by st_swithin
My brain has a single threaded input - I can't listen and focus my eyes at the same time.

And those voices in my head are pretty annoying too. They're always arguing about crap I don't care about.

Best VG music score: Wipeout 3.

Wipeout 3? Never heard it. I love love loved wipeout's score....
Iws that for PS2?

st_swithin · October 19, 2003, 00:34

Yeah, PSX2 - wipeout had a great score, but you really gotta hear wipeout 3 - it was really well put together.

geeslaka · October 19, 2003, 00:35

Quote:

but studying was required, so math would not have worked.

Please explain how repeating a solution method multiple times is different from reading/writing something multiple times.

Dr Strangelove · October 19, 2003, 00:42

Often when I study I imagine a musical score, either something that I've heard or something that I make up. If I get deep into what I'm studying I may eventually discontinue the imagined peice. I find that imagining music actually works better than listening to it.

MrFun · October 19, 2003, 00:44

All this noise and talking in this thread is DISRUPTING MY STUDIES RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!

SHUT UP!!!!!!

st_swithin · October 19, 2003, 00:48

What are you studying that requires Apolyton?

Noisy at Ground Zero, isn't it?

MrFun · October 19, 2003, 00:49

I'm not studyng --

rather, taking a break and messing with you guys.

NeOmega · October 19, 2003, 00:53

Quote:

Originally posted by geeslaka

Quote:

but studying was required, so math would not have worked.

Please explain how repeating a solution method multiple times is different from reading/writing something multiple times.

When working out math problems, you already know the path to the answer, it is just a matter of getting there.

When dealing with history, you must read the history, before you can answer questions about what you just read.

st_swithin · October 19, 2003, 00:57

...as long as someone asks the right questions to jog your memory.

Dis · October 20, 2003, 12:26

Metallica helped me ace all my schools

Jack_www · October 20, 2003, 13:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
I dont have to deal with this anymore, but I always found it so frustrating that teachers/parents insist that you need silence to study or learn...

With the exception of math(pure calculations, not abstract math) I personally find it HARD to study if it is silent, I need some kind of backround noise or I cant concentrate on what im working on.

Right now I'm doing some java coding and I wouldnt be able to get anything done without fox news in the backround.

I try to think WHY this is and I am unsure exactly but I have an idea.

When I am working, if it is COMPLETLEY silent, I tend to day dream or think of other things, and thus cant concentrate on the work.

With the t.v. or radio or SOME kind of backround noise I am slightly concentrating on that, but also on my work, and thus I dont daydream and put my entire concentration on something else.

For most people they need silence to do their work. I can do my homework with or with out backround noise. But if it is really something hard it is always better for me to work it out in silence. You are just one of the few people that the opposite is true.

Drogue · October 20, 2003, 14:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
I hope that was sarcasm, as your friend obviously tested no one and made up the "right" results.

Why? From all I've seen, and my own experiences, Jack_www is right, some people need noise in order to study well, but most people need silence. I can do simple things while listening to music, but I find it distracts me iof I'm doing anything that requires careful thought or that I don't enjoy (and so am easily distracted). From all the studies I have seen, and the opinions of most people I know, this is true for the vast majority, with only a minority needing background noise to study hard.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · October 20, 2003, 14:37

It depends on the work. If I'm writing, I like to have music playing. If it's "real work", such as auditing a complex pension scheme, I need silence.

Everyone has their own preference.

chequita guevara · October 20, 2003, 14:46

Here's the interesting thing. The state in which you learn something is the state in which you best remember it, because your brain s making associations with everything that it is taking in. So if you study for a test listening to Mozart, you wanna take the test listening to Mozart.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · October 20, 2003, 14:56

I think it differs between right-brain and left-brain activity. Or did I just make that up?

Pekka · October 20, 2003, 14:57

I listen music when I study. If it's silence, my mind starts wandering after few hours easily, and before that if the subject is boring. I imagine the music too, like Dr Strangelove. I like little distraction, but not too much. I like to get just a bit distracted. It takes me more time to study, but that way I am way more relaxed and make it more fun thing to do. And that doesn't mean I'm blasting with my stereos, taht means I listen certain types of music in moderate volume, maybe have tv open but nothing interesting on it and muted, so every now and then I can turn my head and check it out. This way I can study a long time without getting frustrated. And when I look at the tv, I think of the things I just read, so I am concentrating to what I'm doing.

I can study with complete silence as well. I think I get same results with both, but with little music and distraction, it's very much relaxed kind of studying and the way I like it. Sometimes I turn the music off when it's very difficult to understand especially in mathematics, but sometimes I don't.. it depends. But I usually don't have to push myself to limits to understand, I need to push myself to make the time and read, and with little distraction that goes better. My point is, with personal experience, it is not absolutely needed for me. I can go both ways. One takes shorter time, one takes more time but is more fun.

ALSO, I'd like to point out different kind of memory techniques which I like to use. For example association. When in exams, I do remember what song I was listening while studying this particular thing. That helps me to get me back there, first the music starts, then the relaxed feeling I had and then it's a matter of seconds that I remember the whole area of it. Or I remember that I didn't get it when I read it the first time. It really helps me, believe it or not. First the music, then the situation and the general relaxed feeling, and then few words, that I start playing around with and then it starts revealing itself. This is for bigger structured parts of information I need to learn and remember. Placebo or not, works for me.

ixnay · October 20, 2003, 15:27

I find I'm able to focus more if I have music in the background. Especially when I'm programming.

st_swithin · October 20, 2003, 17:01

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Here's the interesting thing. The state in which you learn something is the state in which you best remember it, because your brain is making associations with everything that it is taking in. So if you study for a test listening to Mozart, you wanna take the test listening to Mozart.

I wonder if it works for being drunk or high as well. That would certainly explain some of my test scores.