The effect of Music on Learning in Virtual Environments - Initial Results

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the effect of music on learning in virtual-immersive environments. Auditory stimuli were presented within a specialized display system in which seventy- two undergraduate students watched a 3-D computer animated video. This video included narrated historical information and background music. Background music was experimentally manipulated to create six versions of the video: No Music; original tempo/pitch; fast-tempo music; slow-tempo music; low-pitched music; and high-pitched music. After watching the video, participants were tested on the historical material presented, and answered a number of other questions about the video and background music. Data analyses revealed that people under the influence of one particular computer game soundtrack remembered information better than their peers at statistically significant level. Also, those participants who were more immersed into the virtual environment performed significantly better. Further encouraging results are reported in this paper, however, follow-up experiments are needed.