Psychology of Music MUSED 681 REMINDER Course Packet: $10 payable to Don Ester eJournal Feedback eJournal feedback via email; check assignment Set up for class: laptop, speakers?, PMMA trial version

The Nature of Musical Ability SEASHORE MEASURES OF MUSICAL TALENTS (1919) Do you have musical aptitude?  Give sample test to tease the topic: do a few of each - pitch, intensity, rhythm, consonance, tonal memory :-) Show Grafanola and Pushmobile ad in Manual

The Nature of Musical Ability Definition of terms Capacity, potential, aptitude, ability Often misused as synonymns Ability: a particular talent or ACQUIRED skill Aptitude: a natural talent or ability for something, especially one that is not yet fully developed. Achievement: current level of mastery Assessing aptitude in an effort to predict future achievement Ability is NOT the same as aptitude, really. This term should be used carefully, like the term “average” in statistics Capacity = ability Potential correlates with aptitude

The Nature of Musical Ability All children (and adults) have some level of musical aptitude What is the source of this aptitude? Nature (Genetics) or Nurture (Environment)? Public opinion = purely nature “You have such a gift …” True?

Nature or Nurture How do we sort out genetic and environmental influences in research? Studies of Twins Consider pre-natal environmental influences Drugs, stress, hormones, exposure to rhythm (heart beat), music, motherese NOT genetic (post conception), but how could we know? Complexity of isolating variables in research Twins article is an interesting examination of the nature-nurture It appears that nurture is very important

Nature or Nurture Genetic factors influence general development in three broad ways Maturational Staged Development Physical Capacity Mental Capacity Is there a “music gene”, or many specific related genes (intonation gene, etc.)? More on this when we address Physiology and Perception & Cognition When puberty? Size? Shape? Abstract thinking?

Nature or Nurture Genetics contributes primarily to the similarities between siblings Environment contributes primarily to the dissimilarities between siblings My daughters do not LOOK like biological sisters to most people (share only 50% genetic material) They share several basic personality traits (perfectionism). Nature or nurture? My wife’s reaction when I shaved my mustache.

Nature or Nurture Shared Environmental Influences Socio-economics of family Parent’s musical interests Educational opportunity These contribute to similarities, as well.

Nature or Nurture Nonshared Environmental Influences Placement of sibling (oldest, middle child, etc.) Different friend groups Varied musical experiences Nonshared are more important for development of personality characteristics Solicit Ss observations of own family re: nonshared influences Is anyone a twin (identical?), what can you share?

Nature or Nurture Most researchers (Csikszentmihalyi, Gordon) conclude that musical ability develops based on a complex and variable interaction of genetics and environment. Absent Cause-Effect data (which is almost impossible to parce out and confirm), correlational data is valuable

Nature or Nurture Known aspects of the Covariation between genetics and environment Passive Child is “subjected” to the environment (parents “allow” him/her to sing in the car) Reactive (Evocative) Child/Adolescent reacts to environment based on unique traits, which in turn evokes different environmental responses (parents, teachers, etc.) Active Child/Adolescent/Adult actively selects or shapes environment to meet needs Young child is exposed to certain music, movies, etc. Genetics control “learning”. Child appears to “like/enjoy/be good at” making music; parents seek options for private study and/or ensemble experiences. Adolescent organizes a “garage band”; my daughters sang together in talent shows (Shell station)

Environmental Influences Musical Socialization Learning process through which the individual grows into a musical culture, developing and adjusting his or her musical abilities, activities, ways of experiencing, and values in interrelation with the social, cultural, and material environment. (p. 19) You can’t learn what you aren’t exposed to. American music vs. Hungarian; implications for Kodály methodology American teens don’t typically choose to play sitar or Shakuhachi or Didgeridoo

Environmental Influences Situational Exposition The frequency and duration with which a person is exposed to a particular situation. (p. 18) Nicole’s exposure to musical theatre as an infant/toddler/child/adolescent Development of aural and vocal skills

Environmental Influences Pre-natal environment (discussed earlier) Infant environment Motherese, stroking, rocking, walking/pacing Singing (many parents don’t anymore) Listening (radio, TV, CD) Solicit other

Environmental Influences Early childhood & childhood environment General musical environment US: 93% of 6-9 yr. olds hear music in leisure time; 98% of 12-14 MUCH larger influence than school music program, etc. Concert attendance Implications? Tonal and Rhythm (metric) vocabulary Preferences Language usage (breadth of vocabulary, profanity, slang) Types of concerts

Environmental Influences Key Parental Roles Early and continuous support of parents; very active up until age 11, moving to intrinsic motivation Observe and encourage child’s early musical responses Careful choice of teachers How hard does one push? Positive vs. Constructive feedback with youngest children Teacher characteristics (Several commented in eJournal that these things were “obvious”, “common sense”) Consider: it was once “obvious” that the earth was flat and the sun circled the earth it was once “obvious” that women were not smart enough to vote.

Environmental Influences Key environmental factors maximizing musical development Early frequent and casual exposure to musical stimuli Opportunities over an extended period of time to explore musical media Early opportunities in music to experience intense positive emotional or aesthetic states An opportunity to amass significant hours of practice An opportunity to consistently observe and/or study with role models

Music Aptitude Tests WHY measure musical aptitude? Consider/Discuss: There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of students of unequal ability. Plato in The Republic HOW measure musical aptitude? (sample recording) For what purposes? Tape of Kaylyn singing Supercalifrag …

Music Aptitude Tests The first music aptitude test Seashore Measures of Musical Talents 1919 (most recent revision in 1960) Present samples Discuss: Is it measuring musical TALENT? Why or why not? Theory: better hearing = higher talent level Stimuli = isolated pitches produced by oscillators Are those with Absolute pitch more talented musically?

Music Aptitude Tests Issues concerning the measurement of musical aptitude? Atomistic vs. Gestalt Psychophysiological vs. Musical (I can run fast and jump high; am I NBA material?) I am (I wish) an amazing dribbler - when no one is guarding me

Music Aptitude Tests Validity Normal Distribution of musical aptitude Reliability Validity Formal, Content Predictive Normal Distribution of musical aptitude Taken from K-D Music Tests: “The authors constructed this test with the conviction that it would reveal significant correlation with sight-reading skill…. While this tone does not represent the only tone which would complete the melodic progression, it indicates the direction … in which the most satisfactory completion is to be found. SAYS WHO? Context Kindergarten entrance test story

Music Aptitude Tests Gordon Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP) 1965, Revised 1995 Developmental Music Aptitude Stage Birth (conception?) - age 9 Interaction of innate potential and environment Stabilized Music Aptitude Stage Age 9 and beyond No environemntal affects Provide copies of GIA catalog

Music Aptitude Tests Gordon Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP) Grades 5-12 3 sections (stimuli played on violin & cello) Tonal (Melody & Harmony) Rhythm (Tempo and Meter) Musical Sensitivity (Phrasing, Balance, and Style) Sections 1 and 2: determine same vs. different; one dimension is changed Section 3: preference between two phrases Takes 3.5 hours to administer Same vs. Different is objective Preference is not Show score sheet; Play examples from tape (as time allows See Aptitude Lecture Tape for list of examples

Music Aptitude Tests Gordon PMMA, IMMA, AMMA Tonal and Rhythm sections only Primary Measures of Music Audiation (1979, 1986) Grades K-3 Trial download: http://www.giamusic.com/products/P-2242.cfm Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation (1979, 1986) Grades 1-4 (same design; advanced content) Advanced Measures of Music Audiation (1989) College Students Short versions of MAP: only 20-40 minutes Demo PMMA trial download Define audiation Play examples from MAP for comparison (on my tape with Kaylyn) Perhaps just the first example of Tonal Imagery, Melody so they can hear the level of expectation Discuss subjectivity issues: continuum of objectivity correlated with musicality

Music Aptitude Tests Per the text, Howe and Cattell maintain that “the close analysis of any ability is impossible without an understanding of three ‘modalities’: ability, personality, and motivation” (p. 5). Do you agree? Note use of the term ability, rather than aptitude. And that one of the three “modalities” (ability) is the same term as the whole to which they refer. ?? The development of ability is mitigated by these factors, it certainly seems

Music Aptitude Tests How would you measure musical aptitude? (Have your thoughts changed?) How would you use aptitude data? Understanding Music Aptitude article Teachers estimated students’ aptitude; then Ss took MAP; Data is qualitative: teachers thoughts about the matches/mismatches, value of aptitude tests

Instrument Selection & Assignment Traits to consider? Physical Traits Lips, fingers, jaw/teeth, hands, other Ring vs. Index finger of LH!!?? Empirical evidence Personality, Motivation Solicit traits to consider first My choice of oboe because it was “the hardest”

Instrument Selection & Assignment Picture speaks for itself. Did Dizzy have the proper aptitude for trumpet?

Personality Effects CORRELATIONAL Research Introversion: significant level of self-sufficiency (not “shyness”) Isolation during practice time Private/independent creativity Solicit thoughts on personality aspect

Motivation Effects Addressed later in the term Be cautious about competition – the theory that it INCREASES motivation is not supported by research, especially individual competition. Also, it limits the amount of repertoire studied.

Music Achievement Tests Colwell MAT Test 1: Pitch Discrimination, Interval Discrimination, Meter Discrimination Test 2: Major-Minor Mode Discrimination, Feeling For Tonal Center, Auditory-Visual Discrimination Test 3: Tonal Memory, Melody Recognition, Pitch Recognition, Instrument Recognition Test 4: Musical Style (composers, texture), Auditory-Visual Discrimination, Chord Recognition, Cadence Recognition Achievement vs. Aptitude

Music Achievement Tests Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale

Music Achievement Tests How would YOU test for musical achievement? Consider implications (ISTEP) Assessment to match National and State Standards

Aptitude and Achievement Research indicates that music aptitude is developmental during the early years of life. A child's aptitude at birth is innate, but can fluctuate until about age nine according to the richness and diversity of musical experiences the child undergoes. After age nine, one cannot expect to achieve in music beyond the limit of one's stabilized music aptitude. It is essential that children receive lots of high quality informal guidance and formal instruction in music in order to best realize their potential for musical fulfillment throughout life. Informal music experience prior to age five is particularly important. (Gordon) Implications for public school music education Dallas and Rockford music cuts Sum up: nature AND nurture Trying to determine how much of each may be a waste of time given IDIC - infinite diversity in infinite combinations

Research Projects Guidelines Format & Length see Update Contributor Guidelines http://dester.iweb.bsu.edu/ Content see sample Update articles (and packet chapters) Cognition and motor execution in Piano Sight-Reading: A Review of Literature Sight-Reading Ability in Wind and Percussion Students: A Review of Recent Literature Initial Prospectus Due Sept. 25 Idea Sharing

Next Week Reading assignments eJournal due Wednesday 8 AM See 681 web site links: Sound, Physics, and Music Explore the four areas under Basic Concepts (Table of Contents on left) Science Friday Listen to archived audio Read/explore info by clicking “Lend an ear to the physics of music” link View/read information under Related Links Music Physics eJournal due Wednesday 8 AM Continue work on Research Project

Safe Travels SAFE TRAVELS