Consonance and Dissonance Perception in Preschool Children

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Perceptual, Sensory, Motor

Abstract

Western adults consistently prefer consonant over dissonant sounds, for which two different origins are discussed: On the one hand, there might be a genetic basis for an innate preference for consonance (Schellenberg & Trainor, 2002; Schellenberg & Trehub, 1996; Trainor, Tsang, & Cheung, 2002; Zentner & Kagan, 1998). On the other hand, preference for consonance could be acquired through enculturation (Plantinga & Trehub, 2014; Valentine, 1962). Regarding this discussion, there are contradictory empirical findings in infancy. In addition, the development of conso-nance preference throughout childhood remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether 4-year-old children differentiate between consonance and dissonance, and whether they prefer consonance over dissonance. The sample comprised 48 (27 males) 4-year-old children (M = 52.90 months, SD = 2.97 months), who each participated in one of three experiments. Musical stimuli used were consonant and dissonant melodies without harmonies (Experiment 1), or consonant and dissonant melodies with consonant harmonies (Experiment 2) or consonant melodies with consonant har-monies and dissonant melodies with dis-sonant harmonies (Experiment 3). For age-appropriate visualization, puppets, a toy piano and a 5-point scale were created. Each child performed three tasks. Preference was measured using a 5-point scale and a repeated listening request. Children themselves determined, whether they heard consonance or dissonance again. In addition, discrimination ability was tested using an assignment paradigm. Parents provided information about musical experience, socioeconomic status, cultural background as well as age and gender. For standardization purposes, all children were tested by the same investigator. She was previously trained to use a neutral facial expression during stimuli presentation and did not know the sequence of consonance and dissonance in each condition before presentation. Regardless of complexity of musical stimuli, there was no significant preference for consonance or dissonance when measur-ing preferences using our scale (z1 = -.24, p1 = .81; z2 = -.31, p2 = .75; z3 = -.12, p3 = .91). However, across all experiments, consonant stimuli were most frequently selected for repeated listening (Exp1 = 68.80%; Exp2 = 43.40%; Exp3 = 56.30%). The discrimination test between consonant and dissonant melodies showed no significant differences in the correct as-signment (χ2 (1) = 1.58, p = .21). In the second and the third experiment the response behavior was identical for conso-nant and dissonant stimuli, suggesting a lack of discrimination ability (χ2 (1) = .00, p = 1.00). Furthermore, the examination of the quality of discrimination ability by tests for binomial distribution showed no significant deviations from guessing. So far, none of the three experiments showed a clear preference for consonance over dissonance. Consonant stimuli were preferred only in case of a decision with immediate consequences (repeated lis-tening). However, there was no prefer-ence without such consequences (measured by scale). Moreover, 4-year-old children could not systematically distinguish between consonance and dissonance. Thus, our current results do not reflect an innate preference for consonance. This suggests that preference for consonance might be acquired later. Based on this preliminary conclusion, the study is currently continued as an online study with 4- to 6-year-old children.

Authors

• Johanna Will, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Asthetics
  Presenting Author

• Franziska Degé, University of Giessen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tina Roeske, Max Planck Institute for empirical Aesthetics
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gudrun Schwarzer, University of Giessen
  Non-Presenting Author