Development of consonance preferences in Western listeners

Area of Science:

• Music Psychology
• Acoustic Perception
• Developmental Science

Background:

• Debate exists on whether consonance preference is innate or learned.
• Cross-cultural studies suggest musical experience shapes consonance perception.
• Developmental patterns of consonance preference are largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental trajectory of consonance preference.
• To examine the role of musical experience in shaping consonance preference.
• To differentiate the influence of harmonicity versus beating on consonance preference.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Adults and children (6-10 years) rated dyads and vocalizations.
• Study 2: Musically trained adults and 10-year-olds rated the same stimuli.
• Preference ratings were correlated with age, musical training, and acoustic properties (harmonicity, beating).

Main Results:

• Consonance preference increased with age.
• Musical training and age were associated with enhanced consonance preference.
• Both age and musical training correlated with harmonicity preference, not beating perception.

Conclusions:

• Western consonance preference develops with age and is enhanced by musical experience.
• Harmonicity, not beating, is the acoustic feature linked to learned consonance preference.
• Findings support the role of musical experience in shaping auditory preferences.