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Why musical hierarchies?
Courtney B Hilton1,2, Rie Asano3, Cedric Boeckx4
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138, USA. courtneyhilton@g.harvard.edu.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|September 30, 2021
Summary
Hierarchical structure in music, like tonality and meter, may not have evolved for credible signaling. Instead, this complexity likely arose as a byproduct of general cognitive mechanisms serving other functions.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Cognitive science
- Music cognition
Background:
- Credible signaling may drive the evolution of complex communication signals.
- The hierarchical structure observed in musical elements like tonality and meter requires explanation.
- Existing theories often link signal complexity to honest signaling mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary origins of hierarchical structure in music.
- To propose an alternative explanation for the development of tonality and meter.
- To challenge the notion that credible signaling is the sole driver of musical complexity.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical argumentation
- Review of evolutionary and cognitive principles
- Comparative analysis of signaling systems
Main Results:
- Hierarchical structure in music is not necessarily a direct adaptation for credible signaling.
- Domain-general cognitive mechanisms, evolved for non-signaling purposes, likely underlie musical hierarchy.
- The complexity of tonality and meter may be an exaptation or byproduct.
Conclusions:
- The evolution of musical hierarchy is better explained by byproduct theories than by direct selection for credible signaling.
- Domain-general cognitive abilities provide a more parsimonious explanation for musical structure.
- Future research should explore the specific cognitive mechanisms involved.
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