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David ParsonsProfessor CarusoUWRT 1102

June 21

st

2016

Defense Paper

We all can relate to depending on our memory to recall specific material !"et"er for a #o$ or

most commonly studying for sc"ool in order to pass a test% We all &no! t"at time may $e scarce !"en

trying to $alance sc"ool #o$s social life and ade'uate sleep% (no!ing t"ese c"allenges learning

material s"ould $e done as efficiently and effectively as possi$le to ac"ieve desired results% )rom

furt"er researc" conducted into t"e su$#ect of music and studying * "ave "ig"lig"ted t!o ma#or

influences on memory+ conte,t-dependent learning and state-dependent learning% T"e product !ill $e a

$roc"ure including information a$out t"e influences statistics and "elpful tips and reminders for

studying effectively% T"e goal of t"e $roc"ure is to e,press !"y paying close attention to t"e study

environment .e,ternal and internal/ is e,tremely "elpful !it" productivity%

T"e first ma#or influence on memory is conte,t-dependent learning !"ic" is defined as recall

memory improving !"en t"e conte,t of t"e learning environment is t"e same as t"e testing

environment.or environment !"en re'uired to recall/%T"e e,ternal environment can $e very different

depending on t"e situation% !aiter for e,ample is re'uired to memorie t"e menu prices and

specials for t"e restaurant to appropriately serve t"e customer in a timely manner% T"e !aiters

environment to recall can often $e "ectic and stressful% 3n t"e ot"er "and a students testing

environment is most li&ely going to $e a 'uiet and calm room% Considering t"is it !ould $e in a

!aiters $est interest to simulate a "ectic and noisy environment !"en learning t"e menu items and t"e

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student !ould $est $enefit from studying in a 'uiet calm room !it" little e,ternal distraction% T"e

noise level is not t"e only factor to consider !"en comparing learning and testing environments% 4u$tle

differences or similarities can "ave an impact on a$ility to recall suc" as !all color specific people or

o$#ects present in t"e testing situation%

Pertaining to music t"ere are conflicting studies on t"e influence of music and learning% T"e

$est approac" to t"is issue is to consider $ot" conte,t-dependent learning and state-dependent learning%

4tate-dependent learning can $e defined as improved recall !"en material is learned in t"e same state

of mind as !"en $eing tested or re'uired to recall% s !it" music studies s"o! a positive correlation

$et!een test scores and conte,t of specific music meaning conte,t-dependent learning "as a significant

impact !it" music.4mit"/% T"e pro$lem is t"at most testing or !or& environments do not allo! t"e

individual to freely listen to music as t"ey mig"t "ave during t"e learning process% 4o !"en loo&ing at

state-dependent learning !e realie t"at current emotional state and state of consciousness play a role

in memory recall% T"is matters $ecause people often c"oose to study !it" music t"at psyc"ologically

motivates t"em to get t"e tas& completed% lso music is usually c"osen t"at improves t"e mood and

an,iety level of t"e individual% T"is is important to consider $ecause it may $e $eneficial to replicate

t"e state of mind in !"ic" t"e material is learned !"ic" may $e as simple as replaying a motivating or

calming song in your "ead during a test% simpler solution to t"is is to study in silence to $e sure t"e

conte,ts are t"e same in $ot" situations "o!ever advantages and disadvantages of t"is are t"e

individuals responsi$ility to determine $ased on prior e,perience%

s for college students t"ere are some common "a$its associated !it" studying% Widely &no!n

for &eeping someone a!a&e amp"etamine-$ased stimulants suc" as dderall are often used $y college

students% Wit" use suc" as staying a!a&e all nig"t to study for a test t"e negative effects are very li&ely

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to out!eig" any perceived $enefits% W"en studying !it" dderall t"e nig"t $efore t"e individual is

.ideally/ operating on a sufficient nig"t of sleep from t"e previous nig"t allo!ing t"e dderall to

produce a po!erful concentration effect% W"en ta&ing state-dependent learning into consideration t"is

met"od is not $eneficial% *f a!a&e all nig"t t"e individual is not in t"e same state of mind on t"e

morning of t"e test% T"e individual !ill $e sleep deprived !"ic" results in impaired memory focus

and coordination% common !ay to com$at t"e sleep deprivation is to ta&e more dderall $efore t"e

test !"ic" is a mista&e as !ell% fully functional mind on adderall is not t"e same state of

consciousness as a sleep-deprived mind on dderall% not"er common study "a$it is to use alco"ol

moderately !"ile loo&ing over somet"ing $oring suc" as notes or a te,t$oo&% *f t"e study session is

more t"an an "our or so t"e individual !ill $e li&ely to o$tain a $u7 from t"e alco"ol% T"e $lood

alco"ol content .8C/ can $e as little as %09 to produce t"is effect !"ic" can $e caused $y as little as

one drin& !it" some people% T"e state of someone !it" t"is 8C content is very different from

someone !"o "as a 8C of 0% T"e reason it is in a students $est interest to consider t"is is $ecause

most students !ill not $e allo!ed to s"o! up to ta&e a test !it" alco"ol in t"eir system so t"e conte,t

of t"e test !ill not $e as !"en studied if t"is is t"e case%

*n t"e $roc"ure t"ere !ill $e a list of tips and reminders for learning t"at can $e concluded from

t"e collection of researc"% T"ese tips and reminders !ill relate to many t"ings suc" as certain people

present !"en studying noise level of study environment music mood su$stance use and sleep% T"e

main point to get across !it" t"e product is to play close attention to !"at t"e study environment is

li&e% lso to address current study "a$its and $e !illing to modify t"em if necessary% T"ese memory

o$servations are not #ust "ypot"eses and can $e significantly measured% Understanding t"ese

influences could significantly improve t"e a$ility to recall information% W"et"er a student or employee

ma,imum results are ideal and can $e ac"ieved $y critically o$serving t"e e,ternal environment and

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t"e environment !it"in%

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Wor& Cited

Freyer, Frank, Hubert Dinse, Robert Becker, and Petra Rittler. "State-Dependent Perceptual Learning." The Journal

Of Neuroscience33. !#$%& '##-'#. Society for Neuroscience. S(, $3 Feb. #$3. )eb. $* +une #$.

Peterson, Ronald. "Retrieal Failures in lco/ol State-Dependent Learning."Psychopharmacology00. !$'%& $1$-

1. )eb.

Ray, Lara, +a2es ackillop, da2 Leent/al, and 4ent Hutc/ison. "5atc/ing t/e lco/ol Bu66& n 78a2ination o9

t/e Latent Factor Structure o9 Sub:ectie ;nto8ication."Alcoholism33.$ !##'%& $01-$$. )iley

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