Author Identifier (ORCID)
Lindsey Cooke: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3560-5398
Craig Speelman: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8629-174X
Ross Hollett: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7146-3879
Abstract
Recent research indicates high proportions of individuals report they have music playing while they read. This behaviour has implications for effective comprehension, as some scholars suggest the presence of music depletes cognitive resources, resulting in a greater chance of becoming distracted. By contrast, some have claimed that listening to music can improve cognitive performance by increasing physiological arousal and improving mood. This study captured self-reported behaviours of university students regarding whether they chose to listen to music while reading for study purposes. Reasons for listening varied, with reports of increased motivation, enhanced focus, or masking external noise. The most listened to music genres while reading were Classical and Rock, and individuals preferred to listen to non-lyrical, slow music while reading. Similar proportions of respondents claimed they often listen to music while reading for study purposes (54%) and avoided it (46%), suggesting that individual differences may determine whether music is distracting or helpful to readers. Working Memory Capacity was not found to be associated with distraction from music while reading, nor was trait Mind Wandering. However, a Music Engagement rating was related to how helpful individuals perceived background music to be while reading and their decision to listen to it.
Keywords
Background music, cognitive task performance, distraction, individual difference, reading comprehension, study preferences, working memory
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
Publication Title
Psychology of Music
Publisher
Sage
School
School of Arts and Humanities
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Comments
Cooke, L., Speelman, C., & Hollett, R. (2026). Music as a distraction during reading: Music listening habits of university students. Psychology of Music. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356261421209