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Sensitive periods in human development: evidence from musical training
1Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada. virginia.penhune@concordia.ca
Summary
Early musical training may establish a sensitive period impacting sensorimotor integration. This review examines behavioral evidence comparing early-trained (ET) and late-trained (LT) musicians, controlling for experience duration.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Sensitive periods are critical developmental windows where experience profoundly shapes brain and behavior.
- Previous studies suggest a sensitive period for musical training, but often lack control for years of experience.
- Early-trained (ET) musicians often show enhanced performance and brain changes compared to late-trained (LT) musicians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence of a sensitive period for musical training.
- To compare sensorimotor synchronization abilities in ET and LT musicians matched for musical experience duration.
- To review related work on motor learning and sensitive periods in humans and animals.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral experiments comparing ET (before age 7) and LT musicians.
- Matching ET and LT participants for the total number of years of musical experience.
- Analysis of performance in auditory and visual rhythm synchronization tasks.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests a sensitive period for musical training, particularly affecting sensorimotor integration.
- Performance differences were observed between ET and LT musicians, even when years of experience were controlled.
- The findings highlight the impact of early experience on auditory-motor synchronization.
Conclusions:
- A sensitive period for musical training likely exists, with significant effects on sensorimotor development.
- Early musical exposure appears crucial for optimizing sensorimotor integration skills.
- Understanding these sensitive periods can inform theories on experience-dependent brain plasticity and development.
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