Modern World 14
1 Researchers from the University of Plymouth in England wondered whether mood might affect the way children learn. To answer this question, they carried out two learning experiments with children.
2 The first experiment tested 30 children, ages 10 and 11. Each child was given 20 pictures in which a triangle or a shape like a house was hidden inside a larger image. The children had to find the small shape while they were sitting in a room with either cheerful or sad classical music playing in the background.
3 As a measure of mood, the scientists asked the children to choose one of five faces, ranging from happy to sad. Children listening to the happy music tended to choose the happy faces, indicating that they felt happy. Children surrounded by sad music chose the sad faces instead.
4 The researchers found that sad children took at least one second less time to find the small shapes. The sad children also correctly found an average of three or four more shapes.
5 In the second experiment, 61 children, ages 6 and 7, faced the same type of shape-finding problems. Instead of listening to different types of music, though, they watched one of three scenes from an animation film. One scene was happy. One was neutral. One was sad.
6 In this study, children’s moods tended to reflect the scene they had seen. And just like in the first experiment, children who felt sad or neutral performed better on the tests compared to happier children. They solved an average of two or three more problems.
7 The researchers believe that feeling sad makes people more aware of details, perhaps because sadness makes us more likely to focus on a problem or difficult situation. Some studies suggest that mildly sad adults do better than happy ones on tests of memory, judgment and persuasive arguments that involve attention to detail.
8 Not all scientists agree with these conclusions, however. Other studies suggest that people who feel happy are better able to switch between focusing on details and focusing on the big picture.
9 While scientists work on discovering the answers, it still might be worth making your tasks fit your mood. After eating a delicious cup of ice cream, for instance, write an essay. Do the math questions after you’ve been told you can’t eat any ice cream.
2 The first experiment tested 30 children, ages 10 and 11. Each child was given 20 pictures in which a triangle or a shape like a house was hidden inside a larger image. The children had to find the small shape while they were sitting in a room with either cheerful or sad classical music playing in the background.
3 As a measure of mood, the scientists asked the children to choose one of five faces, ranging from happy to sad. Children listening to the happy music tended to choose the happy faces, indicating that they felt happy. Children surrounded by sad music chose the sad faces instead.
4 The researchers found that sad children took at least one second less time to find the small shapes. The sad children also correctly found an average of three or four more shapes.
5 In the second experiment, 61 children, ages 6 and 7, faced the same type of shape-finding problems. Instead of listening to different types of music, though, they watched one of three scenes from an animation film. One scene was happy. One was neutral. One was sad.
6 In this study, children’s moods tended to reflect the scene they had seen. And just like in the first experiment, children who felt sad or neutral performed better on the tests compared to happier children. They solved an average of two or three more problems.
7 The researchers believe that feeling sad makes people more aware of details, perhaps because sadness makes us more likely to focus on a problem or difficult situation. Some studies suggest that mildly sad adults do better than happy ones on tests of memory, judgment and persuasive arguments that involve attention to detail.
8 Not all scientists agree with these conclusions, however. Other studies suggest that people who feel happy are better able to switch between focusing on details and focusing on the big picture.
9 While scientists work on discovering the answers, it still might be worth making your tasks fit your mood. After eating a delicious cup of ice cream, for instance, write an essay. Do the math questions after you’ve been told you can’t eat any ice cream.
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