Harita Ganash
Stella Maris College, Chennai.
Amirdha G
Bhaktavatsalam Memorial College for Women, Chennai
Pages: , 308-315
Beta-frequency binaural beats have been proposed as a memory aid, but effects may
depend on what occurs between encoding and retrieval. This study tested whether an
18-Hz binaural-beat effect during encoding persisted after a mentally demanding Stroop
task. Forty female college students were randomly assigned to a 2 (18-Hz binaural
beats vs. control) x 2 (Stroop task vs. non-fatiguing interval) between-subjects design,
with 10 participants per cell. Participants encoded a 15-word list, completed the assigned
interval, and undertook serial recall; free recall was analyzed secondarily. For serial
recall, neither audio nor cognitive condition produced a main effect, but their interaction
was significant, F(1, 36) = 11.11, p = .002, partial eta-squared = .236. Binaural beats
were associated with higher serial recall after rest (M = 5.10 vs. 2.40) but lower recall
after Stroop (M = 2.40 vs. 5.60). Free recall showed an overall Stroop-related reduction,
F(1, 36) = 6.43, p = .016, partial eta-squared = .152, and a similar crossover interaction,
F(1, 36) = 18.80, p < .001, partial eta-squared = .343. The findings do not support a
general memory benefit. They suggest that an encoding-related binaural-beat effect
may depend on subsequent cognitive demand, although the small single-institution
sample and incomplete manipulation-check reporting require cautious interpretation
and replication.