Relative role of heredity or training for music perception in children

Abstract

The effect of familial inheritance and/or environment on human behaviour has long been investigated. In the area of auditory processing, researchers have demonstrated the relative role of heredity or training in music perception for children, but both the factors were seldom been investigated simultaneously. The present study aimed to identify the factors important for music perception in children. Young children (age = 5–7 years) were selected and divided into four groups. First group of children had familial inheritance of music and also received formal music training. The second and third group had either familial inheritance of music or received music training, respectively, whereas the last group had neither of the two advantages. Tests including melody mistuning detection, timbre change detection, pitch discrimination and pitch change detection were administered. Results revealed that both familial inheritance of music expertise and music training significantly improves the music perception abilities. These findings were discussed in terms of relative role of both heredity and music training in the music perception in children. This information may be helpful designing therapeutic protocol for children with auditory processing disorders and in understanding the perceptual processes underlying music perception in children.