Music Psychology in Education 

Professor Susan Hallam, Institute of Education, University of London


Music is a very powerful influence in our lives and has many benefits throughout the lifespan. Infants exposed to music are significantly more advanced in gross and fine motor activities, linguistic development, aspects of somato-sensory co-ordination, and in some cognitive behaviours. Musical stimulation can enhance infant development, encourage sucking and promote weight gain, while babies born prematurely or underweight, exposed to music, in comparison with controls, gain weight, increase food intake and reduce their length of stay in hospital. 

In young children, there is evidence that active involvement in making music benefits reading and mathematical skills, particularly where lessons are designed to develop auditory, visual and motor skills. Evaluations of increasing the amount of classroom music within the curriculum have found that children receiving extra music lessons keep up with their peers in language and reading skills despite having fewer lessons in these subjects and show increased social cohesion within class, greater self-reliance, better social adjustment and more positive attitudes. These effects are particularly marked in low ability, disaffected pupils. 

Learning to play an instrument has positive effects on measured intelligence in comparison with other extra-curricular activities, and increases self-esteem particularly for children of low socio-economic status. Other benefits include increased awareness of others, and enhanced social skills and well-being. Instrumentalists find making music fun, and acknowledge its therapeutic nature, the confidence it gives them to perform in front of others, the way it facilitates team work, and the opportunities it gives them to express themselves. Their teachers stress additional benefits in relation to increased enjoyment of music, developing a sense of achievement, enhanced confidence and self-discipline, and improved physical co-ordination. Classroom music teachers emphasise that music lessons facilitate the development of a range of transferable skills including those related to creativity and critical thinking. 

Because of music’s effects on our moods and arousal, calming music can be conducive to creating an atmosphere appropriate for undertaking complex intellectual work, while stimulating music can raise arousal levels when tasks are routine or boring. These effects are particularly marked in young children and those with emotional and behavioural difficulties. 

For those who continue to actively engage in music making during adulthood music provides opportunities for self-expression, self-improvement, meeting new people, a range of social activities, and the development of a sense of belonging. There are documented emotional, social, physical, spiritual, intellectual, creative, and health benefits. Those participating in making music in adulthood usually develop their interest in music through active engagement with it in childhood, either at school or home. 

Music has benefits throughout our lives, literally from birth to death. The downside of the easy availability of music in the developed world is that there is a tendency for it to be taken for granted. Around the world, educators frequently are called upon to justify the place of music in the curriculum and often have to battle for sufficient time allocation for appropriate engagement with music to take place, this despite the fact that the music industries continue to require a musically skilled workforce. To satisfy their needs a time investment is required in early years and primary music education to ensure opportunities are available for all children to develop general musical skills for a richer and fuller life, and for some to take these forward and develop the high levels of skill needed to pursue a range of careers in the music industries. 

The book Music Psychology in Education is available from the Institute of Education, University of London bookshop
http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=7766.