The purpose of this study is to obtain survey and observation data concerning music education majors' practice room behavior. A survey provided opportunity for participants (n = 38) to articulate techniques they used in practice. An observation component (n = 9) provided a view of the use of these techniques in actual practice. All participants articulated common practice techniques but a minority of those in observation analysis consistently used these techniques in optimal ways, thus demonstrating a gap between "knowing" and "intelligent doing." Overwhelmingly, participants identified better self-discipline as the one thing that would improve practice efficiency. Suggestions for resolving this problem are provided.

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The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences with regard to cochlea sensitivity as measured by the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions hearing screening procedure. During this test, a sudden burst of sound is presented at between 78 and 83 dB SPL which stimulates the entire basilar membrane. This in turn excites the outer hair cells in the cochlea and causes an echo-type response which is recorded by a microphone in a probe placed in the ear canal. This test is used to screen for peripheral hearing loss. Subjects ( N = 350) for this project were healthy, full-term newborns (38-42 weeks gestation) in the first 48 hours of life who had bilaterally passed the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) screening test. Male (n = 170) and female (n = 180) infants were selected randomly from all babies born during a 3-month period who met the criteria at a large birthing hospital. Responses to TEOAE stimuli were recorded at 1.6 kHz, 2.4 kHz, 3.2 kHz, and 4.0 kHz. The responses were recorded as decibel levels indicating a signal-to-noise ratio. These decibel levels were used in a three-way ANOVA with repeated measures comparing gender, ear, and frequency level. Results indicated significant differences due to gender (female hearing more sensitive than male) and frequency (least sensitive hearing recorded at 1.6 kHz, most sensitive hearing recorded at 3.2 kHz). A significant two-way interaction indicated that differences in hearing sensitivity between genders increased as the frequency increased.

This study was designed to examine to the extent to which impostor feelings, symptomatic of the psychological condition impostor phenomenon (IP), would be evident in early career university-level music educators. Those experiencing IP are typically successful individuals yet with impostor feelings that may include debilitating psychological effects related to an irrational fear of failure and exposure as a “fraud.” Participants were post–doctoral degree music education faculty in their first 4 years of full-time college teaching ( N = 54). They responded to the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and to scales adapted for faculty roles of undergraduate teaching, graduate teaching, and research. Results indicated that all participants experienced a moderate or higher level of impostor feelings on at least one of the scales, with five responses indicating intense impostor feelings on at least three scales. Participants’ responses to the Undergraduate Teaching Scale were the most positive. Scores for the Research Scale generated the strongest IP feelings, falling into the frequent or intense category for over 70% of the participants. Strategies that may help faculty members assuage or overcome their impostor feelings include realizing that they are not alone, working with peers, mentors and role models, and acquiring relevant experiences during doctoral preparation.