Maggie Kaetzel

Dr. Abrahams
ME 271 OL1
MEJ Article Review #1
Introduction
Donald Hodges and Robin Wilkinss article, How and Why Does Music Move Us?,
takes the reader through a presentation by Drs. Valerie and Steven Reynolds. The presentation is
based on a new research technique for music and the brain that is surfacing. The Reynolds touch
base on five different neuroscientific and psychological discoveries that relate directly back to
music.

Summary
The Reynolds elaborate on five basic ideas. The first idea introduces the idea of Network
Science. Network science allows researchers to study the brains reactions to different varieties
of music. For instance, one genre of music may make a persons brain react in a completely
different way than the other. The second is the Default Mode Network; brain networks that link
with emotions, memories, conscious awareness, and self-reflection. Next, they suggest that there
is a dynamic interconnectivity in the Default Mode Network when the music listened to is
preferred. This leads to a link between self-awareness, personal histories, emotional memories,
and empathy. In the fourth section, they offer the idea that musical training leads to a plethora of
changes in the brain that affect learning. The fifth section then confirms that there is indeed
scientific evidence to prove that music enhances the quality of life.

Theoretical Framework
Based off of this article, music affects the brain in many different ways, each one
seeming extremely positive. The recent analysis method, Network Science, allows for research
that extends farther than it could before. With the Default Mode Network, scientists are able to
see a scan of the brain that shows directly how much is happening in that section along with how
critical it is. Specifically, the Default Mode Network (DMN) is a set of interconnected regions
in the brain that becomes less active when you are paying outward attention to something but is
more engaged when you are focusing inward, such as introspection or mind-wandering.
Researchers did a study having young adults listening to different genres of music. They would
play a series of contrasting songs and record the brains response. Without failure, each time the
listener heard something they enjoyed, different parts of their brain became activated. When
they did not like the song played, less of the brain was active and the parts that were, presented
different colors.
There are numerous examples in this article that support the idea of making the brain
stronger. The DMN might influence aspects related to creativity, abstract thought processing,
and cognitive flexibility. The DMN allows us to see exactly how and where we are affected by
music. Study shows that adults who have been studying music for the majority of their life, have
improved functions in their brains. Performing music requires activity from the entire brain.
This proves the idea that if you begin performing at a young age, your brain will become
stronger due to a constant, full workout.
[Abraham] Maslow found that music is one of the most common ways for people to
have peak experiences. Peak experiences are intense moments that are a huge part of self-

actualization. These experiences help us to find ourselves in order to live a full life in every
possible way.

Critique
This article brings up many good points about how music can have positive and negative
effects in long and short term situations. Each point has plenty of detail to go with it and every
image is described very clearly. Although there are a lot of scientific terms that are difficult to
grasp, the Reynolds do a great job of making the terms accessible to the average reader. This
entire article is a series of quotes from a presentation that the Reynolds did. It would have been
beneficial if the authors of the article, Donald Hodges and Robin Wilkins, had added more input
throughout. Instead, they could have simply added a few side notes or comments they had about
the topic between quotes or at the end. It almost seems as though the authors are not present in
the article at all.

Opinion
Every point made by the Reynolds is very clear to understand. The fact of the matter is
that music does have positive effects on our brains and this should be taken more seriously.
Public school systems often believe that music should simply be an elective that students would
take if they choose. But if music is proven to strengthen our brains if practiced from a young age,
then why hasnt it become a core subject? Students could be enrolled in one music class per year
from the very beginning. Not only does it increase the strength of the brain, but it is
scientifically proven to make you happy. It baffles me that through all of this, some schools still

believe that it is acceptable to disregard the arts of any kind. Rather than forcing our students
into long and extremely difficult school days without a break, we could be encouraging them and
helping them grow positively as a person through music classes.

Conclusion
Not only is listening to music a nice thing that one can do on the side, but it helps us to
learn if practiced. We can improve all of our subjects simply by using music as a resource from
the beginning. Although it is acceptable to listen to any type of music and get some results,
listening to music that you like has shown greater brain activity in completely different areas that
may have not been activated before. Music connects with our personal experiences, goals,
emotions, and so much more. All of these amazing discoveries are truly based on science. They
are cold hard, facts that cannot be denied.

Works Cited
Hodges, D. A., and R. W. Wilkins. "How and Why Does Music Move Us?: Answers from
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Psychology and Neuroscience." Music Educators Journal 101.4 (2015): 41-47. Web.