Listening to music and idea generation

Abstract

This study explores the effects of music tempo on designer’s idea generation, and compares the features of the subjects’ ideas evoked through design behaviors and emotional feelings under without-music, fast-tempo, and slow-tempo music situations. Three experienced designers and design teachers were invited to evaluate their sketches. The experimental results showed that, (1) when listening to fast-tempo music, the subjects generated remarkably more sketches, and achieved significantly higher scores of idea fluency and flexibility, in contrast to listening to slow-music and non-music situations. (2) Under the slow-tempo music situation, the subjects’ originality and feasibility of idea sketches were significantly higher than those under fast-tempo music and without-music. (3) The idea elaboration was enhanced when listening to slow-music and non-music situations. The study suggests that when require lots of ideas may listening to fast-tempo music, while listening slow-tempo music if need novelty ideas.