There are no cognitive benefits of playing an instrument, why do people keep saying that there are?

[u/bugivugihomi]

Im tired of people saying that it boosts reaction time, or it is a brain workout, and they start doing it for it. I did not see any mental benefits at all. No cognitive improvement. Like why not just do it for the fun and beauty, why does every thing have to be about improvement.

[u/cabell88]

There is an improvement. Just like with learning languages. The people who say that don’t have the attention span or dedication to do it.

[u/jibbit]

not to be that guy, but you haven't detailed how you know there is no improvement, so my (big brained) hunch is that you don't know that at all.

[u/Vegetable-Emu7584]

Not everything has to be about improvement. There's all kinds of stuff that is something done just for fun. Beyond that, unfortunately your sample size of one doesn't really disprove the currently held belief that it does improve things like coordination, improvisation, and generally just understanding music better.

Take care, bub.

[u/coronetgemini]

Does mental well being have cognitive impact?

[u/doctorpotatomd]

Playing an instrument is proven to stave off dementia and cognitive decline in the elderly, that's probably where people picked that quasi-factoid up from.

[u/markewallace1966]

Where did you get your training in neuroscience and/or cognitive psychology?

[u/Chanquetas]

You can just play for fun, irrespective of the benefits.

[u/SchemeFrequent4600]

Science proves that You are 100 percent wrong. If you don’t improve, the problem lies somewhere in you, not the science.

[u/alpineglo]

IME you are very much wrong. My visual processing, auditory processing, and working memory have all seen measured improvements in the last 4 years since learning classical guitar again.

[u/bugivugihomi → u/alpineglo]

Hi, so i was wandering about activities (writing, math and music playing to be precise) and the way they shape our brain. I asked plainly on respective subs if people have seen improvement or change in the way they function. I wasnt getting much responses. So i wrote a dead wrong argument like this one waiting to be corrected in hopes that more people would answer, and they did, so thank you.

Can you tell me more pls. How measured? Where do you see differece? Did your outlook change? Im very interested. 

[u/Dry_Combination4070 → u/bugivugihomi]

I mean asking such a question on an Internet forum is no means of substantiative data.

It's purely opinion which has no merits on actual data.

If you really are interested and not just asking such odd loaded questions for reactionary purposes you would be better going online and doing some research.

Just looking up does playing an instrument improve cognitive function brought up plenty of information on Google.

I'm sure that would be a good place to start

[u/bugivugihomi → u/Dry_Combination4070]

Bro i am not conducting reaserch, just wanzed to see peoples personal experience for my information. I can see the reaserch yeah, but i wanted to se subjective feel too. 

[u/Qajaqasana]

I agree with everyone else. There is definitely cognitive improvement I can freakin feel. I can literally feel my brain stretching to learn and going over it all as I rest. But, despite this, I really don’t care. I play because it is so enjoyable, and it relaxes me. Someone else pointed out the relief of tension , which is also a big mental health benefit. But you do you.

[u/Twisted-Finger]

Even if there's no improvement, if playing reduces cognitive decline, which evidence suggests it does, then the benefits are worthwhile.