Cognitive Interference and Selective Attention
Conditions
Keywords
Stroop Task, Lo-fi Music, Cognitive Performance, Selective Attention, Background Music
Brief summary
This study aims to examine the effects of instrumental lo-fi background music compared to silence on cognitive interference performance among university students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silent condition while completing a paper-based Stroop Color-Word task. The main outcome will be the level of cognitive interference, measured by the number of correct responses during the interference condition. The study seeks to determine whether background music improves or impairs selective attention and cognitive control.
Detailed description
This study investigates the impact of instrumental lo-fi background music on cognitive interference during a Stroop Color-Word task in university students. A between-subjects experimental design will be used, where participants are randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence control condition. All participants will complete three timed sections of the Stroop task: word reading, color naming, and color-word interference. The Stroop interference score will be calculated based on the number of correct responses within a fixed time period. The study focuses on selective attention and cognitive control processes, examining whether background music facilitates or hinders performance. Participants will be undergraduate students with normal or corrected vision and hearing. Standardized procedures will be followed to ensure consistency, including the use of headphones for all participants to control environmental conditions. The findings of this study may contribute to understanding how environmental factors such as background music influence cognitive performance in academic settings.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALInstrumental Lo-Fi Music
Participants listen to instrumental lo-fi background music through headphones while completing the Stroop color-word task under controlled conditions.
Sponsors
Canadian University Dubai
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence condition during the Stroop task.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 24 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* • Aged between 18 and 24 years (verified via self-report at screening) * Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at Canadian University Dubai * Self-reported proficiency in English sufficient to understand task instructions and perform colour-naming responses * Self-reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision * Self-reported normal hearing
Exclusion criteria
* • Any form of colour vision deficiency (e.g., red-green colour blindness) * A diagnosis of a neurological or psychological condition known to affect cognitive performance (e.g., ADHD, major depressive disorder, or learning disabilities), based on self-report * Current use of prescribed medication that may affect cognitive functioning, based on self-report
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stroop Interference Score | During task completion (single session; approximately 5-7 minutes), participants complete the Stroop Color-Word Task under their assigned condition. | The Stroop interference score will be calculated as the difference between correct responses in the Color Naming and Color-Word Interference conditions. Higher scores indicate greater cognitive interference (poorer inhibitory control). |
Countries
United Arab Emirates
Contacts
CONTACTEfthymios Papatzikis, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOREfthymios Papatzikis, PhD
Canadian University Duba
STUDY_DIRECTORShahad Yousif, BSc Psychology
Canadian University Dubai
STUDY_DIRECTORfarah Mosalami, BSc Psychology
Canadian University Dubai
Outcome results
None listed