Mozart effect–Shmozart effect: A meta-analysis

We checked this card's citation and the finding we state against the source's own page or record in October 2026.

What it found

Listening to the Mozart sonata before a spatial task gave a small, short-lived boost compared with silence, but other music did about as well, and the difference between Mozart and other music was negligible. There was evidence of publication bias, and the effect was noticeably larger in studies by the original research group. Little evidence remains for a specific Mozart effect.

Effect size, as the source reports it: Mozart vs silence or a non-music stimulus d = 0.37; other music vs silence d = 0.38; Mozart vs other music d = 0.15.

What kind of study it is

Design

Meta-analysis

Weight

A synthesis: it pools or weighs many studies, so it carries the most weight on the evidence meter.

Sample

Nearly 40 studies, over 3,000 participants, including unpublished research

Read it

doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2010.03.001 · ERIC record EJ882611

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Cited in the Library

• Does listening to Mozart, or taking music lessons, make children smarter?