This article reports the results of three preliminary studies of the cognitive effects of rock music lyrics and music videos. Study 1 indicates that comprehension of rock music lyrics develops with age and that lyrics are often misunderstood, particularly by young children who lack relevant world knowledge and are at a concrete stage of cognitive development. Study 2 shows that music videos provide less stimulation to imagination and are enjoyed less than the songs alone. Study 3, using different methods, confirms the negative effect of music videos on the imagination. The results of this study also demonstrate that a rock song, without any visuals, evokes and elicits more feelings than when it is part of a music video.
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Greenfield et al. (1987) studied this question.
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