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Updated: Feb 20, 2026
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Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
35.5K
Memory for melody and key in childhood.
E Glenn Schellenberg1, Jaimie Poon1, Michael W Weiss1,2
1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Plos One
|October 28, 2017
Summary
Children as young as 7 years old demonstrate adult-like implicit memory for musical key. While melody memory improves with age, key memory is established early, suggesting a foundational capacity for musical pitch processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Music Cognition
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Long-term memory for music, including melody and key, is crucial for auditory learning.
- Previous research indicates adults can retain unfamiliar melodies for over a week and key for over a day after minimal exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental trajectory of long-term memory for melody and musical key in children and adults.
- To determine the age at which implicit memory for musical key becomes comparable to adult levels.
Main Methods:
- Participants from three age groups (7-8 years, 9-11 years, adults) were exposed to unfamiliar melodies.
- A recognition test was administered after a delay, including old and new melodies, with some old melodies transposed.
- Listeners rated their recognition accuracy for melodies presented in the original or transposed key.
Main Results:
- Melody recognition improved with age, with adults outperforming children.
- Recognition was significantly better for previously heard melodies compared to new ones.
- Memory for musical key was robust across all age groups, even when melodies were transposed, suggesting early development of key memory.
Conclusions:
- Melody memory develops throughout childhood and adolescence.
- Implicit memory for musical key appears to be mature by 7 years of age, indicating early development of pitch processing abilities.
- These findings highlight distinct developmental pathways for melody and key memory in music cognition.
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