Pop Music and Memory. Teen Life

Does Listening to Pop Music Make You Smarter?

I love pop music. I listen to it all the time. But can it make me smarter? That's what a new study says.

The study is from the University of Amsterdam. They studied 1,000 people between the ages of four and 91. The researchers played different types of music to the people. Then they asked them questions about how happy they were and how much they could control their feelings.

The researchers found that people who listened to fast, happy music like pop were better at controlling their feelings than people who didn't. They were also happier. The researchers said that when you listen to pop music, your brain releases a hormone called dopamine. This makes you feel good. It also helps you learn. So when you listen to pop music, you learn how to be happy.

The researchers also found that people who listened to sad music were better at feeling other people's emotions. They were more sympathetic. The researchers think this is because when you listen to sad music, your brain releases a hormone called prolactin. This makes you cry. But it also makes you feel closer to other people. So when you listen to sad music, you learn how to be close to other people.

I think this is really interesting. But I'm not sure if the study is true for everyone. For example, my mom listens to classical music. Classical music is slow and sad. But my mom is not very sympathetic. She doesn't understand me or my friends. Maybe the study is only true for people who already have these feelings. Or maybe it's just a coincidence. We need more research to know for sure.

In the meantime, I'm going to keep listening to my favorite pop songs. They always make me feel better when I'm sad or angry. And now I know why!