Music and Intelligence: Can Music Make You Smarter?

Explore how music affects human psychology

It’s long been thought that music has the power to affect cognition – but can music really improve intelligence?

On this course, you’ll explore the truth behind the connection between music and intelligence, learning whether music treatment (such as music training or music-related activity) can actually improve cognition.

Get to grips with the key principles of intelligence

In order to truly understand how music relates to intelligence, it’s important to get to grips with what we mean by intelligence and how it is measured and impacted.

You’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of human intelligence, examining its complexity and delving into the things that can change it.

You’ll separate facts from myth as you evaluate ideas on the benefits of music playing to our cognition and learn how to differentiate between false claims and evidence-based facts.

Explore the psychology of music and if music makes you smarter

Alongside expert psychology educators, you’ll explore concepts and ideas which highlight the connection between music and intelligence, including examining the famous ‘Mozart effect’ under the microscope.

The final section of the course is dedicated to the idea that we can improve our intelligence by listening to music.

You’ll explore if and how music affects learning, and whether playing an instrument can make you smarter, coming away able to conclusively answer if music affects learning or not.

This course would benefit musicians, music therapists, educators, and music and psychology students. There is no need for a specific background, as it is easy to follow for those interested and curious in music.

• What is intelligence?
• Introduction to the course
• What is intelligence: definition
• The first attempts at studying intelligence
• How we measure intelligence: the intelligence tests
• How we think intelligence is made: the architecture of intelligence
• Synthesis
• Can listening to music improve your intelligence?
• The myth of the Mozart effect
• Investigating the Mozart Effect
• Synthesis
• Can playing music improve your intelligence?
• The relationship between music and intelligence
• Getting the facts straight
• Experimental studies that explore the effect of music training
• Synthesis