Modulation in background music influences sustained attention

Background music is known to affect performance on cognitive tasks, possibly due to temporal modulations in the acoustic signal, but little is known about how music should be designed to aid performance. Since acoustic modulation has been shown to shape neural activity in known networks, we chose to test the effects of acoustic modulation on sustained attention, which requires activity in these networks and is a common ingredient for success across many tasks. To understand how specific aspects of background music influence sustained attention, we manipulated the rate and depth of amplitude modulations imposed on otherwise identical music. This produced stimuli that were musically and acoustically identical except for a peak in the modulation spectrum that could change intensity or shift location under manipulations of depth or rate respectively. These controlled musical backgrounds were presented to participants (total N = 677) during the sustained attention to response (SART) task. In two experiments, we show performance benefits due to added modulation, with best performance at 16 Hz (beta band) rate and higher modulation depths; neighboring parameter settings did not produce this benefit. Further examination of individual differences within our overall sample showed that those with a high level of self-reported ADHD symptomaticity tended to perform better with more intense beta modulation. These results suggest optimal parameters for adding modulation to background music, which are consistent with theories of oscillatory dynamics that relate auditory stimulation to behavior, yet demonstrate the need for a personalized approach in creating functional music for everyday use.