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Shifting perceptions: developmental changes in judgments of melodic similarity
Stephanie M Stalinski1, E Glenn Schellenberg
1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Developmental Psychology
|September 9, 2010
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Music Perception
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Melody recognition relies on pitch and temporal relations.
- Previous research shows conflicting evidence on absolute- vs. relative-pitch processing development.
- Both processing types may exist across all age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental shift in absolute- vs. relative-pitch processing.
- To resolve discrepancies in prior research on melody perception development.
- To examine how age influences the perception of melodic differences and transpositions.
Main Methods:
- Adults and children aged 5-12 years participated.
- Listeners rated the similarity/difference of two melodies.
- Melodies were manipulated for transposition and/or reordering of tones.
Main Results:
- All age groups detected both transpositions and melodic differences.
- Younger children focused more on transpositions for perceived differences.
- Older children and adults increasingly relied on melodic differences.
Conclusions:
- Listeners of all ages process both absolute and relative pitch information.
- A developmental shift occurs where reliance on melodic differences increases with age.
- Transpositional cues become less salient as listeners mature.
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