Background/Purpose . It is well established that music can be a beneficial addition to physical performance by motivating the performer to provide more effort (Szabo, Small, & Leigh, 1999). Although specific qualities of music have been found to be more motivational than others (Karageorghis, Terry, & Lane, 1999), the effect of those specific qualities on performance has not been examined. The aim of the study was to determine what elements of music are found to be motivational, and their effect on the performance of a simple muscular endurance task.
Method . 21 college-aged participants were asked to listen to and rate several pieces of music as to their motivational qualities using a modified Brunel Music Rating Inventory (BMRI; Karageorghis, et al., 1999). Participants then performed a force production task, maintaining a 50% hamstring pull as long as possible, while listening to (a) no music, (b) self-selected music, (c) the perceived least motivational piece, and (d) the perceived most motivational piece.
Analysis/Results . A one-way ANOVA was performed to determine whether performance differed across conditions. In addition, correlations were performed to determine relationships between music elements and overall motivation of music. Performance was significantly better in conditions perceived as motivational, F(3,60)=4.756, p=.005, and style and melodic elements were strongly correlated with overall motivation.
Conclusions . Greater physical performance was shown to occur in the presence of a piece of music perceived as motivational, but only certain aspects of the music was found to be influential in the perception of the piece's motivational qualities.
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