The Effect of Music on Human
Heart Rate
by
Alex Fisher
Abstract
• Purpose to study the effect of music on human rate
• Hypothesis – If rock music increases the heart rate in a human
then country music will decrease the heart rate in a human.
• Five human subjects
• Heart rate monitor used to measure heart rate of subjects
• Each subject listened to first a rock song followed by a country
song
• All subjects listened to same songs
• Hypothesis proved correct on three out of five ,or sixty
percent, of subjects studied
Review of Literature
• Other studies have shown that music causes a change in
people’s heart rate
• In these studies, faster paced music increased heart rate
• Slower paced music decreased the heart rate
• Older people showed the greatest increase in heart rate of
people studied when listening to rock music
• This was thought to be caused by being unaccustomed to
listening to this type of music
• This experimentation important as music could be used to
control anxiety before surgery
• Decreasing anxiety calms the patient and could increase
chances of success of surgeries especially those of the brain
and nervous system
Question, Problem, and Hypothesis
• Research Question - Does music effect the
heart rate of a human?
• Problem - Why does some music change our
feelings, some music makes us tired and
sleepy, while other music gets us pumped up?
Is it because music effects our heart rate?
• Hypothesis - If rock music increases the heart
rate in a human than country music will
decrease heart the heart rate in a human.
Experimental design
• Materials - Heart rate monitor, Data sheet,
Clipboard, Pen, Music listening device,
Earphones
Procedure Set-up
• Five human subjects used
• All subjects were male, fourteen or fifteen
years old
• All testing done on January 9 in the same
location
• Testing location provided a minimum of
distraction for the subjects
Subjects sat in a comfortable chair to
provide a relaxed atmosphere.
Music
Rock Song – “Burn it to the Ground”, by
Nickelback
Country Song – “The Most Beautiful Girl”,
by Charlie Rich
Procedure
1. Take heart rate of subject before listening to
music
2. Write down heart rate of subject
3. Subject places earphones in ears
4. Play rock song
5. Take heart rate after listening to rock song
6. Write down heart rate of subject
7. Play country song
8. Take heart rate after listening to country song
9. Write down heart rate of subject
Heart Rate
Monitor used for heart rate reset to zero
before taking heart rate
Taking the heart rate of a subject
Performing the study on one of the subjects.
Results
Subject names
Heart rate before
music
Heart rate after
listening to rock
Heart rate after
listening to country
Jon
59
56
64
John Eric
66
74
68
Gavin
103
93
92
Jeremie
114
115
108
Joe
74
78
68
This table shows heart rate before listening to any music after listening to rock music
and after listening to country music
Study Results
140
120
100
80
Heart rate before music
Heart rate after rock
60
Heart rate after country
40
20
0
Jon
John Eric
Gavin
Jeremie
Joe
Conclusion
• Analysis of the data collected in this study
showed that music does have an effect on the
heart rate of humans
• In three out of the five or the majority of subjects
studied, rock music increased heart rate and
country music decreased heart rate
• Hypothesis that rock music increases the heart
rate in a human and country music decreases the
heart rate in a human is supported
Future Studies
• Expand research by increasing number of
subjects
• Add the independent variable of age to
provide data on the affect different types of
music has on subjects depending on the age
of the subject.
Acknowledgements
• Thank you to the subjects for your time and assistance
–
–
–
–
–
Jon Preuter,
John Eric Kelley
Jeremie Fischer,
Gavin Coble
Joe Harvey
• Thank you Mrs. Richards for your patience and
assistance
• Thank you Mom and Dad for for taking pictures,
providing assistance, and in general lots of support
throughout this project
Bibliography
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Nickelback. “Burn It to the Ground.” From the album Darkhorse – 2008.
Rich, Charlie. “The Most Beautiful Girl.” Epic 11040, December 1973.
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