Psychology of Music recent issues

A comparison of modes of communication between members of a string quartet and a jazz sextet

Seddon, F., Biasutti, M. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

This study revealed the modes of communication employed between the members of a professional string quartet during rehearsal and performance. Results of this study enabled comparison with modes of communication employed by a student jazz sextet revealed in a previous study by the first author. Six modes of communication were revealed in both studies (i.e., verbal and non-verbal, instruction/cooperation/ collaboration). Results indicated that the modes of communication employed by both groups of musicians (i.e., the string quartet and the jazz sextet) were the same, although, at times, the content of the communication differed based on the presence of a pre-composed score and conventions of the musical genre. Participants in both studies confirmed researcher interpretations of the modes of communication during member checks. Results also indicated that when playing from a pre-composed score the string quartet were able to become empathetically attuned and produce ‘spontaneous musical variations’ during performance. The authors propose that these spontaneous musical variations are examples of ‘empathetic creativity’.

A generative model of teachers' thinking on musical creativity

Odena, O., Welch, G. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

This article draws on and extends a four-year investigation of creativity in music education with particular reference to the perceptions of six secondary school teachers (Odena & Welch, 2007; Odena, Plummeridge, & Welch, 2005). A comprehensive review of recent literature in musical creativity is provided, which complements and reinforces the theoretical framework of the original study. A qualitative approach was used for data gathering, including a video elicitation interview technique and Musical Career Path questionnaires. Transcripts were subsequently categorized using NVivo. Taking into account other recent studies, previously unpublished data is examined and a generative model of how the teachers’ thinking about creativity might develop over time is suggested: the teachers’ past in-and out-of-school experiences and their daily classroom teaching shape their perceptions of musical creativity; this occurs as a continuing interaction that has the potential to modify the teachers’ perceptions over time. Educational implications are considered in the conclusion.

A systematic inventory of motives for becoming an orchestra conductor: a preliminary study

Makris, I., Mullet, E. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

The study examined the various motives (reasons) that may have led an individual to become an orchestra conductor interpreting classical works, using Apter’s (2001) Metamotivational Theory framework. Questionnaires derived from the theory, consisting of 92 possible motives for becoming an orchestra conductor, were presented to 101 orchestra conductors. Data were analysed through confirmatory factor techniques. An eight-factor motivational structure reflecting eight of the dimensions suggested by Apter’s theory was evidenced. The motives most strongly evoked were the ones linked with emotion and emotional needs: making the audience feel the same strong emotions; feeling in communion with one’s orchestra, on the one hand; and experiencing uncommon events in a permanently challenging way and, as a result, experiencing intense joy, on the other. In addition, clearly endorsed motives included being able to perform one’s own interpretations of the classical works and, more generally, considering oneself as a maestro, a link to the great tradition of senior conductors interpreting classical music.

What are your thoughts when the national anthem is playing? An empirical exploration

Gilboa, A., Bodner, E. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

It is believed that when exposed to the national anthem of their native country, people react with feelings of pride and patriotism and that the anthem has the power to unite people around similar associations. We examined these beliefs empirically. In Experiment 1, Israelis of various ages and subcultures listened to their anthem and to three other songs, and wrote down associations that came to mind. It was found that the anthem evoked more national associations than any other song and that this was a shared tendency despite the subcultural divergences. In Experiment 2, a marginal group in Israeli society participated in a similar task and appeared to regard the anthem more negatively than mainstream Israelis. In Experiment 3, associations relating to the anthem were compared to those relating to other national symbols (the flag and an emblem). The flag, but not the emblem, evoked similar association patterns. Results are discussed in light of social identity theory.

Effects of concurrent music listening on emotional processing

Graham, R., Robinson, J., Mulhall, P. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

Increased processing time for threatening stimuli is a reliable finding in emotional Stroop tasks. This is particularly pronounced among individuals with anxiety disorders and reflects heightened attentional bias for perceived threat. In this repeated measures study, 35 healthy participants completed a randomized series of Stroop tasks involving colour-naming of neutral or threatening words concurrently accompanied by either silence or music. An emotional Stroop effect was evident under silent conditions. However, a significant interaction effect was detected indicating that in the music listening condition the expected interference was significantly diminished. The presence of music therefore may serve to relax the deployment of attentional mechanisms associated with the detection of threat. Putative modes of action are discussed with reference to effects of task-irrelevant stimuli on attentional distribution, effects of music on arousal and emotional state, and neural imaging studies of brain function. Potential clinical applications are briefly outlined.

Book review: MARCEL COBUSSEN, Thresholds: Rethinking Spirituality Through Music. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008. 182 pp. ISBN 9780754664826 (pbk) {pound}15.99

Atkins, P. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

Book Review: SUSAN HALLAM, IAN CROSS AND MICHAEL THAUT, Oxford Handbook of Music Psychology. ISBN 9780199298457 (hbk) {pound}65.00

Sergeant, D. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

Book Review: M.S. BARRETT and S.L. STAUFFER (eds), Narrative Inquiry in Music Education: Troubling Certainty. New York: Springer, 2009. ISBN 9781402098611 (hbk)

Baker, D. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:52:33 PDT

An experimental study of the effects of improvisation on the development of children's creative thinking in music

Koutsoupidou, T., Hargreaves, D. J. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:55 PDT

This article reports a quasi-experimental study of the effects of improvisation on the development of children's creative thinking in music. The study was conducted in a primary school classroom with two matched groups of 6-year-old children over a period of six months. The music lessons for the experimental group were enriched with a variety of improvisatory activities, while those in the control group did not include any improvisation, but instead were didactic and teacher-centred. Children in the experimental group were offered several opportunities to experience improvisation through their voices, their bodies, and musical instruments. Webster's Measure of Creative Thinking in Music — MCTM II (Webster, 1987, 1994) was administered before and after the six-month teaching programmes (i.e., pre-test and post-test) to assess children's creative thinking in terms of four musical parameters: extensiveness, flexibility, originality, and syntax. Analysis revealed that improvisation affects significantly the development of creative thinking; in particular, it promotes musical flexibility, originality, and syntax in children's music-making.

From the functions of music to music preference

Schafer, T., Sedlmeier, P. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:55 PDT

To date, not much is known about how the functions of music relate to music preference. This article examines the basic hypothesis that the strength of preference for a given kind of music depends on the degree to which that kind of music serves the needs of the listener; that is, how well the respective functions of music are fulfilled. Study 1, a pilot study, identified the best-known musical styles of the participants, yielding 25 styles that were known by at least 10 percent of them. Study 2 used these 25 styles and found that rock, pop and classical music were liked most. A factor analysis yielded six distinct dimensions of music preference. People showed great variation in the strength of preference for their favourite music. This is explained by the impact of different functions of music. The potential of music to express people's identity and values and to bring them together was most closely related to the strength of preference. However, the reasons for liking a particular style are not congruent with the functions that people ascribe to their favourite music in general. A theoretical model of the development of music preferences is suggested.

Bring out the counterpoint: exploring the relationship between implied polyphony and rubato in Bach's solo violin music

Davis, S. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:55 PDT

Performers are consistently instructed to use rubato to `bring out' the implied polyphony in Bach's solo string music. But previous research on the perception of this structural feature suggests that Bach's use of implied polyphony often creates a sense of structural expression, which is something that adds interest to the notes themselves and stands in contrast to the expressive nuances that a performer might later supply. If this is the case, performers could refrain from using much rubato in passages that contain structurally expressive types of implied polyphony, thereby allowing the inherent expression to emerge on its own. In order to test this hypothesis, expert performances from commercial recordings were analyzed to determine the relationship between type of implied polyphony and amount of tempo variation. Initial data confirms that violinists generally avoided any extensive use of rubato in passages where the implied polyphony alters the motivic, metric and/or metric structure and creates this structural expression. Performances of passages containing types of implied polyphony that are less structurally complex or disruptive were then characterized by a more extensive use of rubato that served to `bring out' the contrapuntal structure that was not already inherently expressive.

The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students

Piro, J. M., Ortiz, C. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:55 PDT

A number of studies have reported positive associations between music experience and increased abilities in non-musical (e.g., linguistic, mathematical, and spatial) domains in children. These transfer effects continue to be probed using a variety of experimental designs. The major aim of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the effects of a scaffolded music instruction program on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of two cohorts of second-grade students. One group (n = 46) studied piano formally for a period of three consecutive years as part of a comprehensive instructional intervention program. The second group (n = 57) had no exposure to music lessons, either in school programs or private study. Both groups were assessed on two subtests from the Structure of Intellect (SOI) measure. Results revealed that the experimental group had significantly better vocabulary and verbal sequencing scores at post-test than did the control group. Data from this study will help to clarify the role of music study on cognition and shed light on the question of the potential of music to enhance school performance in language and literacy.

`Sounds of Intent': mapping musical behaviour and development in children and young people with complex needs

Welch, G., Ockelford, A., Carter, F.-C., Zimmermann, S.-A., Himonides, E. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:56 PDT

This article reports on the first year of an Esmée Fairbairn Foundation-funded research project into the design and evaluation of an original `framework' for mapping the behaviour and development in, and through, music for children with complex needs, specifically those with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). An initial four-month design and pilot phase critiqued and evaluated a framework that was grounded in video-based iterative analyses of individual case studies that had been collected during the previous two years. The piloting phase was followed by a sustained period of classroom-based music lesson observation in five special schools over a period of seven months. A total of 630 observations were made using the framework for 68 participants whose ages ranged from 4 years 7 months to 19 years 1 month. Subsequent analyses support the general design features of the observational framework and provide new evidence of PMLD musical behaviour and development.

Book review: WILLIAM FORDE THOMPSON, Music, Thought, and Feeling: Understanding the Psychology of Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 320 pp. ISBN 9780195377071

Williamson, V. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:56 PDT

Book review: LUCY GREEN, Music, Informal Learning and the School: A New Classroom Pedagogy. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited. 214 pp. ISBN 9780754662646, {pound}16.99 (hbk)

Japp, A. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:56 PDT

Book review: STEVEN JAN, The Memetics of Music: A Neo-Darwinian View of Musical Structure and Culture. Surrey: Ashgate, 2007. 294 pp. 24 b/w illus., 42 music examples. ISBN 9780754655947 (hbk) {pound}55.00

Ockelford, A. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:56 PDT

Book review: ANIRUDDH PATEL, Music, Language, and the Brain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 513pp. ISBN 9780195123753

Eliot Woodruff, G. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:45:56 PDT

Editorial

MacDonald, R. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

Orchestral performance and the footprint of mindfulness

Langer, E., Russel, T., Eisenkraft, N. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

Two studies were designed to test the hypothesis that actively creating novel distinctions and sonically portraying them during the performance of orchestral music is preferable to attempting to re-create a past performance. The data suggest that orchestral musicians preferred creating music when they were encouraged to mindfully incorporate subtle nuances into their performance. When audience members were played recordings of both types of performance, a significant majority expressed a preference for the performances that were created in a mindful state. Individual attention to novel distinctions and subtle nuances appears to alter the process of creative ensemble performance and lead to music that is more enjoyable to perform and hear.

Music, movement and marimba: an investigation of the role of movement and gesture in communicating musical expression to an audience

Broughton, M., Stevens, C. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

The experiment reported in this article investigated the assumption that visual movement plays a role in musician-to-audience communication in marimba performance. Body movement is of particular relevance here as the expressive capabilities of the marimba are relatively restricted, and the movements required to play it are visible. Twenty-four musically trained and 24 musically untrained observers rated auditory-only and auditory-visual presentations of 20th-century solo marimba excerpts for perceived expressiveness and interest. Performances were given by a male and a female professional musician in projected (public performance expression) and deadpan (minimized expressive features) performance manners. As hypothesized, higher ratings were recorded in response to projected performances than to deadpan. The hypothesized interaction between modality and performance manner was observed. Musically trained participants recorded higher ratings than musically untrained observers, upholding the final hypothesis. Expressive body movement plays an important role in the communication between marimba performer and audience — a role relevant for both performers and educators.

Tough times, meaningful music, mature performers: popular Billboard songs and performer preferences across social and economic conditions in the USA

Pettijohn, T. F., Sacco, D. F. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

The Billboard number 1 songs for each year from 1955 to 2003 were investigated across changes in US social and economic conditions. Study 1 investigated song characteristics and ratings and found that when social and economic times were relatively threatening, songs that were longer in duration, more meaningful in content, more comforting, more romantic, and slower were most popular. Study 2 explored popular performer facial feature characteristics and found that performers with more mature facial features, including smaller eyes, thinner faces, and larger chins, were popular during relatively threatening social and economic conditions. These facial feature preferences were more pronounced with the onset of music television in the 1980s. Results of the two studies are explained within the context of the Environmental Security Hypothesis.

What radio can do to increase a song's appeal: a study of Canadian music presented to American college students

Silva, K. M., Silva, F. J. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

Four experiments examined whether it was possible to quickly and easily increase the appeal of unfamiliar rock songs presented to American college students. In Experiment 1, reading an essay about an artist increased the appeal of the artist's songs, but repeated exposure to the songs did not. In Experiments 2a and 2b, repeatedly following an affectively neutral song with a liked song increased the appeal of the first song. In Experiment 3, listening to a music critic praise a song increased the song's appeal. These results show that intramusical and intrapersonal strategies, evaluative conditioning, and persuasion by authority can be used to increase a song's appeal. It should be possible for radio stations to use these cost-effective techniques to expand their playlists without a net loss of listeners.

`Songese': maternal structuring of musical interaction with infants

Longhi, E. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal structure of mother—infant interactions with songs, with particular attention to two aspects: 1) the singing of the mothers to their infants, and 2) the non-verbal behaviours mothers and infants produce in synchrony with the musical beat. Four mother—infant dyads were video-recorded when the infants were 3—4 months of age and again when they were 7—8 months old. Mothers were asked to sing songs of their choice while interacting with their infants. Analyses of the mothers' singing and synchronous behaviours with the beat revealed that they emphasized the hierarchical structure of the song and provided a segmentation of the temporal structure of the interaction. Infants were shown to be sensitive to their mothers' emphasis by producing significantly more synchronous behaviours on some beats than on others. It is suggested that the multimodal sensory information provided by the mothers ensures the infants' effective learning and conveys the characteristics of what could be called `songese' — the equivalent of `motherese'.

Music listening, coping, peer affiliation and depression in adolescence

Miranda, D., Claes, M. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

This study was conducted with 418 French-Canadian adolescents from Montréal (Canada) and had three objectives: (1) to find empirical evidence that music listening in adolescence can lead to peer affiliation based upon music preferences; (2) to find out whether three styles of coping by music listening (original self-report scale: emotion-oriented, problem-oriented, and avoidance/disengagement) are related to depression levels in adolescence (French version of the Beck Depression Inventory: Bourque & Beaudette, 1982); (3) to examine whether peers' depression levels and coping by music listening are moderators of the relation between Metal music preference and depression levels in adolescent girls. The results of a peer nomination procedure indicated that music preferences and depression levels of participants are related to those of their peers. In girls, problem-oriented coping by music listening is linked to lower depression levels, whereas avoidance/disengagement coping by music listening is linked to higher depression levels. In boys, emotion-oriented coping by music listening is linked to higher depression levels. Finally, Metal music listening is related to higher depression levels in girls only if they affiliate with peers that are more depressed. The implications of the research regarding the music listening and psychosocial development and adjustment in adolescence are discussed.

Review essay: ADRIAN C. NORTH and DAVID J. HARGREAVES, The Social and Applied Psychology of Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 476 pp, 14 illus. ISBN 9780198567424 (pbk) {pound} 29.95/$59.95

Konecni, V. J. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:06:57 PDT

Musically untrained college students' interpretations of musical notation: sound, silence, loudness, duration, and temporal order

Tan, S.-L., Wakefield, E. M., Jeffries, P. W. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

Fifty participants who had never learned how to read music completed a questionnaire about their interpretations of standard western musical notation. Some common assumptions were that a note must consist of a circle plus a line, symbols with unfilled spaces denote silence, the value of notes and rests increases with the size and number of features of a symbol, pitch is denoted by both note-head and stem, and tempo is determined by horizontal spacing. These assumptions are not consistent with the conventions of standard musical notation, thus the findings of the study suggest that many fundamental aspects of notation are not intuitive to beginners. Implications of the findings are discussed with respect to music pedagogy.

Performance time productivity and versatility estimates for 102 classical composers

Kozbelt, A. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

Performance time productivity estimates for 102 classical composers are reported. For each composer, the grand total and totals within several musical genres (e.g., symphonies, concerti, operas) are provided, which are used to generate a measure of composer versatility, or the extent to which each composer's output spans multiple genres. Estimated durations of lost works for each composer are also summarized. Descriptive results identify the most prolific composers in the overall sample and within each genre. Illustrative correlational analyses revealed reliable overall associations between average annual productivity, eminence and composer birth year; versatility was related only to birth year. However, composers in different periods of musical history (Baroque/Classical, Romantic and 20th century) showed different patterns of correlations between the variables, with 20th-century composers showing no reliable correlations at all. Implications and suggestions for incorporating the reported productivity estimates into multi-level statistical analyses of composers' lifespan creative productivity are discussed.

Health-promoting behaviours in conservatoire students

Kreutz, G., Ginsborg, J., Williamon, A. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

This study focuses on health-promoting behaviours in students from two conservatoires, the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM, Manchester, UK; n =199) and the Royal College of Music (RCM, London, UK; n = 74). The research questions concern (a) the levels and types of health-promoting behaviours among performance students and (b) the association of health-promoting behaviours with emotional state, perceived general self-regulation and self-efficacy. To address these questions, the students were surveyed using server-based inventories over the internet. Results revealed varying levels of adherence to individual aspects of health-promoting behaviours. No significant differences between the populations of the two conservatoires with respect to health-promoting behaviours were observed. In general, values for health responsibility, physical activity and stress management were lower than values for nutrition, interpersonal relations and spiritual growth. Significant correlations were found between all subscales of health-promoting behaviours, emotional state, self-efficacy and self-regulation. These results suggest that music performance students tend to focus more strongly on psychosocial than physical aspects of health while particularly neglecting health responsibility. It is also concluded that health-promoting behaviours are weakly and differentially associated with both positive and negative emotional states, as well as with perceived self-efficacy and self-regulation.

Emotional responses to music: experience, expression, and physiology

Lundqvist, L.-O., Carlsson, F., Hilmersson, P., Juslin, P. N. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

A crucial issue in research on music and emotion is whether music evokes genuine emotional responses in listeners (the emotivist position) or whether listeners merely perceive emotions expressed by the music (the cognitivist position). To investigate this issue, we measured self-reported emotion, facial muscle activity, and autonomic activity in 32 participants while they listened to popular music composed with either a happy or a sad emotional expression. Results revealed a coherent manifestation in the experiential, expressive, and physiological components of the emotional response system, which supports the emotivist position. Happy music generated more zygomatic facial muscle activity, greater skin conductance, lower finger temperature, more happiness and less sadness than sad music. The finding that the emotion induced in the listener was the same as the emotion expressed in the music is consistent with the notion that music may induce emotions through a process of emotional contagion.

The role of parents in children's musical development

Mcpherson, G. E. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

A framework for studying parent—child interactions is proposed, based on evidence that parents play a pivotal role in their children's musical development. It is suggested that the goals and aspirations that parents hold impact on the styles and practices they adopt during interactions with their children. Importantly, the model proposes a feedback loop in which child and socio-contextual characteristics interact with parenting goals, styles and practices to help shape children's musical competence and achievement, their sense of musical identity and accomplishment, and their continuing desire to participate, exert effort, overcome obstacles and succeed musically.

Book review: KAREN D. GOODMAN, Music Therapy Groupwork with Special Needs Children: The Evolving Process. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 2007. 302 pp. ISBN 0398077401 (pbk) $49.95

Lloyd, P. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST

Book review: ROBERT HODSON, Interaction, Improvisation, and Interplay in Jazz. New York: Routledge, 2007. 208 pp. ISBN 0415976812 (pbk) {pound}19.99/$36.95

Davis, C. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:08:52 PST