Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Research suggests that factors such as background and musical experience might affect ability to process information and influence affective responses. This study explored the relationship between music and nonmusic majors' real-time responses to a piece of 20th-century music. Undergraduate nonmusic majors and undergraduate and graduate music majors were asked to manipulate a Continuous Response Digital Interface dial that recorded response data in time to indicate their responses while listening to excerpts from Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps (Rite of Spring). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between responses of music and nonmusic majors. Graphic representation and analyses suggest that these response patterns are related to changes in texture, with a moderate inverse relationship for nonmusic majors and a weaker moderate positive relationship for music majors.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Adams, B. (1994). The effect of visual/aural conditions on the emotional response to music. (Doctoral dissertation, The Florida State University, 1994). Dissertation Abstracts International, 55, A2312.

Aiello, R. (1994). Can listening to music be experimentally studied? In R. Aiello with J. Sloboda (Eds.), Musical perceptions. New York: Oxford University Press.

Bharucha, J. (1994). Tonality and expectation. In R. Aiello with J. Sloboda (Eds.), Musical perceptions. New York: Oxford University Press.

Campbell, M. (1991). Musical learning and the development of psychological processes in perception and cognition. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 107, 35–48.

Consortium of National Arts Education Associations. (1994). National standards for arts education. Reston, VA: MENC.

Davies, J. B. (1978). The psychology of music. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Fredrickson, W. E. (1995). A comparison of perceived musical tension and aesthetic response. Psychology of Music, 23, 81–87.

Frego, D. (1999). The effect of aural, visual, and aural/visual conditions on subjects' response to perceived artistic tension in music and dance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 47, 31–43.

Lychner, J. A. (1998). An empirical study concerning terminology relating to aesthetic response to music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 46, 303–319.

10.

Madsen, C. K. (1997). Focus of attention and aesthetic response. Journal of Research in Music Education, 45, 80–89.

11.

Madsen, C. K. , Brittin, R. V. , & Capperella-Sheldon, D. A. (1993). An empirical investigation of the aesthetic response to music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 41, 57–69.

12.

Madsen, C. K. , & Frederickson, W. (1993). The experience of musical tension: A replication of Nielsen's research using the continuous response digital interface. Journal of Music Therapy, 30 (1), 46–63.

13.

Price, H. E. (1986). A proposed glossary for use in affective response literature in music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 34, 151–159.

14.

Sloboda, J. A. (1985). The musical mind: The cognitive psychology of music. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press.

15.

Stravinsky, I. (1913). The Rite of Spring (Dover edition, 1989). Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

16.

Stravinsky, I. (1913). The Rite of Spring [Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Seji Ozawa, conductor]. On Stravinsky [CD], RCA Victor (1991). New York: BMG Music, 60541-2-RV.

An Examination of Music and Nonmusic Majors' Response to Selected Excerpts from Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References