Music Listening and Optimising Performance

This chapter will review the findings of research investigating the use of music listening for enhancing performance in workplaces, learning environments, and elite performance arenas. The conditions include high versus low stress, teams and individual performance, motivation and distraction, and of course, achievement. While laboratory studies are the most common approach to measuring the effects of music listening on a range of cognitive tasks and performance outcomes, our primary interest is whether it is possible to translate findings in a laboratory to real life environments. Some of the literature suggests that it is feasible, and it is certainly an assumption of researchers.