This study examined how music timing (rest vs. task), perceived tempo, and listener interpretation affect attention and workload across two phases. Phase I (n = 152) profiled music type/tempo and motivations by task complexity, informing stimulus and moderator definitions. Phase II (n = 39) used a within-subjects Stroop task with four timing conditions (music during rest/task: present vs. absent). Reaction time did not differ across conditions. The task-only condition showed a modestly lower mean correct response count, whereas the rest-only condition showed no main effects on performance or NASA-TLX. Perception moderated outcomes: under continuous exposure (rest-present/task-present), participants who experienced the music as supportive reported higher performance than those who found it distracting. A faster perceived tempo was linked to a higher mental workload. Overall, listeners adapt music use to cognitive demands, and subjective perception modulates impact, consistent with arousal–performance theory and relevant to listener-centered auditory ergonomics.
Wang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.