The effects of varying music tempo on vigilance performance and affective state

Abstract

Vigilance tasks typically involve an operator monitoring an environment for infrequent, random critical signals, buried among more frequent neutral signals, for an extended period. In addition to a decline in task engagement, task performance, and arousal over time, these tasks are also associated with high perceived workload. Previously, music has been shown to positively influence operator engagement and response times during vigilance tasks; however, the differences between fast and slow tempo music on both vigilance performance and mood measures have not been studied. The present study examined the effects of music played at different tempos on a selection of performance metrics and self-report measures of mood, engagement, and workload. Results indicated that varying music tempo did not influence the typical decline in detection of critical signals, but the fast tempo condition had a modestly positive impact on worry and engagement from pre to post task.