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The Mozart Effect and More

© Deborah Jeter

The Mozart Effect has come under some scrutiny from various researchers.

Rauscher's research on the music of Mozart as being beneficial for developing spatial-reasoning, has caused music educators to concern themselves with whether or not, they will be held accountable for this outcome. An article in the Arts Education Policy Review offered data on "Spatial-Temporal versus Language-Analytic Reasoning. "The Role of Music Training", by Grandin, Peterson, and Shaw clearly states that because of the positive influence that music has on spatial-temporal reasoning, should be the purpose for music education. Should this ever be the case, the writer feels that this would not be a problem. In fact, this could be a good thing. The only way that it could have a negative impact is if other benefits, even enjoyment, was neglected in the pursuit of developing spatial-temporal reasoning skills. Perhaps, music could at long last, stand alongside subjects such as, math and reading. However, how would one truly measure such a subjective subject? Herein, lies another piece of the puzzle.

Synectics is the name for a technique developed by William J. J. Gordon as a way to enhance creativity. Synectics was originally used as a problem solving method of science and technology. Gordon and his associates began to explore the usefulness of Synectics for educational purposes. The basic approach used was metaphoric thinking. Metaphoric thinking is the mental process in which implicit comparisons are made between qualities of objects which is usually considered in separate classifications. By developing hidden connections between normally separated qualities, the student is able to synthesize new mental constructs. Most artists and scientists, use a metaphoric thinking process. By developing a set of metaphoric exercises, Gordon attempted to make people more aware of the creative process and at the same time to refine and improve it. "Synectics can be used in two ways. One way is the original Gordon idea for problem-solving; the other is as a way to use familiar metaphors to convey particularly difficult and unfamiliar concepts to students in the classroom." Joyce, B., Weil, M. (1972) An example of how this type of processing information follows.

Imagery is used quite frequently by musicians in the development of technique. A singer may visualize a roller coaster while singing melodic phrases, to emulate connection, and flow of the notes. Another image used often is for singers to visualize a target across the room and view their voice as a bow, and the notes as arrows, which are aimed at that target. Children internalize meaning more rapidly and deeply when images are associated with similar meanings. Questions that could be used in an exercise of this nature are:

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