Measuring the effects of presence and tempo of background music on cognitive load during digital tasks using eye tracking

Abstract

This researches contributes to our understanding of the effects of the presence and tempo of background music on our cognitive load during digital tasks, using eye tracking to provide a measurement. The modern availability and accessibility of music streaming during daily low-demanding and high-demanding attention tasks, asks for more understanding of its effects on our cognitive performances. Earlier literature showed both positive and detrimental effects of music on our physical and mental health, but the exact influence on cognitive load during attention-demanding tasks stays under-explored. Scientific theories suggests that background music, as extraneous load, could increase our cognitive load, with the potential to harm our performance.

Using a between-subjects experimental design to compare a control group to fast tempo and slow tempo background music conditions, the literature gap is attempted to be closed. Eye tracking data was collected to measure fixation duration, fixation rate, and pupil size as indicators of cognitive load compared to subjective measurements. Both presence and tempo of background music was expected to have significant influence on these eye behaviour variables, with fast tempo music having a greater effect.

The results and discussion of this study, therefore, attempted to shine some light on how background music is related to (perceived) cognitive load, providing further insight into HCI and our societal behaviour concerning listening to music. By discussing the dual role of background music as motivator and disturber, this research aimed to add some understanding to how music as extra stimuli affects our digital task performance.