Journal article

Publication year: 2011

Pages: 608-623

Journal: European Journal of Developmental Psychology

Volume number: 8

Issue number: 5

ISSN: 1740-5629

eISSN: 1740-5610

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2011.590668

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 
The present study tested the effect of an extended music curriculum (EMC) for two years in secondary school, consisting of musical instrument, auditory perception, and music theory training, on children's visual and auditory memory. We tested 10-year-old children who had just started EMC and children without EMC (T0) in visual and auditory memory and retested the same children two years later (T1) to observe the effects of school music training. Confounding variables, like intelligence, socioeconomic status, extracurricular schooling, motivation to avoid work, and musical aptitude were controlled. Prior to the beginning of the music training no differences in the control variables and the memory variables between children with and without EMC were revealed. Children with EMC improved significantly from T0 to T1 in visual as well as in auditory memory. Such an improvement was not found for children without EMC. We conclude that extended school music training enhances children's visual and auditory memory.

Harvard Citation style: Dege, F., Wehrum, S., Stark, R. and Schwarzer, G. (2011) The influence of two years of school music training in secondary school on visual and auditory memory, European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 8(5), pp. 608-623. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2011.590668

APA Citation style: Dege, F., Wehrum, S., Stark, R., & Schwarzer, G. (2011). The influence of two years of school music training in secondary school on visual and auditory memory. European Journal of Developmental Psychology. 8(5), 608-623. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2011.590668