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Expectancies generated by melodic intervals: perceptual judgments of melodic continuity
1Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Perception & Psychophysics
|May 1, 1995
Summary
This study tested Narmour's melodic expectancy model, finding support for its principles in predicting how well a new tone continues a melody, regardless of musical training.
Area of Science:
- Music Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Music Theory
Background:
- Melodic expectancy is crucial for music perception.
- Narmour's (1990) implication-realization model provides principles for understanding melodic structure.
- Previous research has explored factors influencing melodic continuation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test quantified predictors from Narmour's implication-realization model.
- To assess how well these predictors account for listener ratings of melodic continuation.
- To investigate the role of musical training in melodic expectancy.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four participants (12 trained, 12 untrained) rated the melodic continuation of a third tone following a two-tone interval.
- Predictors were based on Narmour's principles and tonal harmonic music structures.
- Regression analyses were used to model continuation ratings.
Main Results:
- Three of Narmour's principles and a modified fourth principle were supported.
- Predictor variables from tonal harmonic music also showed support.
- No significant differences were found between musically trained and untrained listeners.
Conclusions:
- Narmour's model effectively predicts melodic continuation.
- Tonal harmonic principles also play a role in melodic expectancy.
- Musical training does not significantly alter the perception of melodic continuation based on these principles.