COM 308 Discussion Posts
Title: COM 308 Discussion Posts
COM 308 Discussion Posts
Milton:
Bosk, A. (2021, July 16). Correlation between music and math. Rave Jungle. https://www.ravejungle.com/2021/07/16/correlation-between-music-and-math/Links to an external site.
My article for the week discusses how there is an apparent correlation between music and math. Playing music involves the usage of math. So, if somebody knows how to play an instrument, they should also have a better understanding of math because components of music include rhythm, measure, and beats, which from a mathematical perspective are essentially fractions and ratios. Aside from playing an instrument, listening to music while doing math can increase productivity because both sides of the brain (left = logical; right = creative) are activated. As a result, those who do their math homework while listening to music may do better because the sounds and frequencies in the music act as an effective boost for both sides of the brain, which is especially good for the left side because of greater cognitive abilities.
Part of why I chose this article is that I think we can all relate to the topic in some way; I am sure that many of us have had experience playing music, or we may listen to music while working. Regarding the module’s material, the article does give two clear variables to examine a correlation, which could be presented as ratio variables. As well, the article does contain some strong points about these connections between music and understanding/performance in math. However, my main criticism is that the author claims the correlation between music and math to be a “strong one” when really this is still just a hunch. The article lacks a Pearson correlation coefficient, an indication of shared variance between the two variables, and a scatterplot. Overall, there really was not any statistical evidence for the author to come to this conclusion. Further research is still needed, which the author fortunately acknowledges. Certainly, I do believe this hunch can be tested properly, perhaps even with promising results.
Aaron:
Hi class,
My article this week focuses on a very relevant topic for all of us as we continue to live through a global pandemic. It is fair to say that we have all had to make many adjustments to our way of living over the last two years and, because of this, our mental health has not been exactly the same. This week's reading looked into the correlation between the length of the ongoing pandemic and anxiety and depression. It notes that psychological distress, depression, and anxiety were all prevalent among both men and women six months into the pandemic and even after the lockdowns began to be lifted. The researchers studied a sample size of 2,359 adults. In this study, they compared data from different time periods in their lives. The timeframes compared to each other were before the pandemic (2018) and after the COVID-19 lockdowns (2020). They found that the number of people who experienced psychological distress in 2020 rose by 10% to 42% when compared to 2018's 32%. These participants reported feeling more anxious or depressed than they had before the pandemic. While the article notes that these feelings increased in both men and women, it is important to state that researchers found that women were more likely to report these issues to others in comparison to their male counterparts. The article states that the higher levels of work and life balance increased the levels of anxiety in both but the depression levels in men were raised due to financial stress.
This article was very eye-opening and relevant. If I am completely honest and vulnerable, I sought help from a therapist for my own mental health during the last year. I don't think any of us were prepared for how long this pandemic would last. Working from home for so long and not knowing when things would go back to normal really hurt my mental health. I felt very afraid at times and almost as if there was no end in sight. I often thought about my 10-year-old brother who spent all of the fifth grade attending virtual classes as well. It is important for kids to be able to interact with other kids. However, I know that this was not the safest thing to do at the height of the pandemic last year.
While this article did a good job at presenting the facts in such a clear and concise way, I do wish they had presented the data utilizing graphs. I think adding those visual elements to articles helps drive the message. Additionally, I'd be interested to learn more about how the pandemic has affected other age groups such as my little brother since this study only focused on adults.
We are on our way out of this and I hope that the mental health effects that this pandemic has had on many of us do not continue to affect us many years from now.
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