Research proves that silence can be golden THE majority of
people enjoy the pleasurable accompaniment of background music
when working, studying or carrying out everyday tasks. | Dr Nick
Perham Studies show that the music we choose to listen to
actually helps improve our efficiency and performance levels
when used in this way, but a new study has found that this is
not always the case. The latest research carried out at the
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) shows that music
can interfere with short-term memory performance regardless of
whether we like the music or not. When students were played
music while recalling a list of consonants in their presentation
order, they remembered fewer items than when they performed the
same task in a quiet environment. It was also found that musical
preferences had no bearing on how much the volunteers were able
to recall. For example, whether they were played their favourite
Lady Gaga songs or a track they disliked by thrash metal band
Death Angel, recall was s