Does music training improve emotion recognition and cognitive abilities? Longitudinal and correlational evidence from children
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Music training enhances fine-motor skills and auditory memory in children, but does not causally improve emotion recognition or other cognitive and socioemotional abilities. Preexisting musical skills, not training, correlate with emotion recognition.
Area Of Science
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background
- Music training is often claimed to improve nonmusical skills, but causal evidence is limited.
- Research has primarily focused on cognitive benefits, neglecting socioemotional outcomes.
- The impact of music training on emotion recognition remains under-investigated.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the causal effects of music training on emotion recognition in children.
- To examine music training's impact on musical abilities, motor skills, socioemotional functioning, and cognitive abilities.
- To differentiate effects of music training from preexisting musical abilities and confounding factors.
Main Methods
- Two studies were conducted: a 2-year longitudinal intervention (Study 1) and a cross-sectional comparison (Study 2).
- Study 1 compared music training to basketball training (active control) and no training (passive control) in school-aged children.
- Study 2 compared children attending music schools with those not receiving music training, controlling for socioeconomic status and other variables.
Main Results
- Music training improved fine-motor skills and auditory memory but did not affect emotion recognition or other cognitive/socioemotional abilities.
- Both music and basketball training improved gross-motor skills.
- In Study 2, music training correlated with emotion recognition, but this link vanished when controlling for socioeconomic status, musical abilities, or short-term memory. Preexisting musical abilities, not training, correlated with emotion recognition.
Conclusions
- Music training causally enhances fine-motor skills and auditory memory in children.
- Music training does not causally improve emotion recognition, broader cognitive, or socioemotional functioning.
- Observed benefits in emotion recognition are likely attributable to pre-existing musical abilities and confounding factors like socioeconomic status, not the training itself.
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