bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Best linear corrector of classification estimates of proportions of objects in several unknown classes
Authors: Fortier Jean‐J.
Published: June 2006

It has been recognized that counting the objects allocated by a rule of classification to several unknown classes often does not provide good estimates of the true class proportions of the objects to be classified. We propose a linear transformation of these classification estimates, which minimizes the mean squared error of the transformed estimates over all possible sets of true proportions. This so‐called best‐linear‐corrector (BLC) transformation is a function of the confusion (classification‐error) matrix and of the first and second moments of the prior distribution of the vector of proportions. When the number of objects to be classified increases, the BLC tends to the inverse of the confusion matrix. The estimates that are obtained directly by this inverse‐confusion corrector (ICC) are also the maximum‐likelihood unbiased estimates of the probabilities that the objects originate from one or the other class, had the objects been preselected with those probabilities. But for estimating the actual proportions, the ICC estimates behave less well than the raw classification estimates for some collections. In that situation, the BLC is substantially superior to the ICC even for some large collections of objects and is always substantially superior to the raw estimates. The statistical model is applied concretely to the measure of forest covers in remote sensing.
Asymptotic properties of a conditional maximum‐likelihood estimator
Authors: Ferguson H.
Published: June 2006

Inference for a scalar interest parameter in the presence of nuisance parameters is considered in terms of the conditional maximum‐likelihood estimator developed by Cox and Reid (1987). Parameter orthogonality is assumed throughout. The estimator is analyzed by means of stochastic asymptotic expansions in three cases: a scalar nuisance parameter, m nuisance parameters from m independent samples, and a vector nuisance parameter. In each case, the expansion for the conditional maximum‐likelihood estimator is compared with that for the usual maximum‐likelihood estimator. The means and variances are also compared. In each of the cases, the bias of the conditional maximum‐likelihood estimator is unaffected by the nuisance parameter to first order. This is not so for the maximum‐likelihood estimator. The assumption of parameter orthogonality is crucial in attaining this result. Regardless of parametrization, the difference in the two estimators is first‐order and is deterministic to this order.
Maximum‐likelihood estimation for the removal method
Authors: Bedrick Edward J.
Published: June 2006

We prove that the profile log‐likelihood function for the removal method of estimating population size is unimodal. The result is obtained by a variation‐diminishing property of the Laplace transform. An implication of this result is that the likelihood‐ratio confidence region for the population size is always an interval. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a finite maximum‐likelihood estimator are presented. We also present evidence that the likelihood‐ratio confidence interval for the population size has acceptable small‐sample coverage properties.
On the relative accuracy of certain bootstrap procedures
Authors: Feuerverger Andrey , Robinson John , Wong Augustine
Published: June 2006

We show the second‐order relative accuracy, on bounded sets, of the Studentized bootstrap, exponentially tilted bootstrap and nonparametric likelihood tilted bootstrap, for means and smooth functions of means. We also consider the relative errors for larger deviations. Our method exploits certain connections between Edgeworth and saddlepoint approximations to simplify the computations.
Bayesian interim analysis of lifetime data
Authors: Papandonatos George D. , Geisser Seymour
Published: June 2006

In hypothesis testing involving censored lifetime data that are independently distributed according to an accelerated‐failure‐time model, it is often of interest to predict whether continuation of the experiment will significantly alter the inferences drawn at an interim point. Approaching the problem from a Bayesian viewpoint, we suggest a possible solution based on Laplace approximations to the posterior distribution of the parameters of interest and on Markov‐chain Monte Carlo. We apply our results to Weibull data from a carcinogenesis experiment on mice.
Robust F‐tests for linear models
Authors: Taplin Ross H.
Published: June 2006

The author presents a robust F‐test for comparing nested linear models. It is suggested that the approach will be attractive to practitioners because it is based on the familiar F‐statistic and corresponds to the common practice of reporting F‐statistics after removing obvious outliers. It is calibrated in terms of a real parameter that can be directly interpreted as the willingness of the data analyst to remove observations, and the sensitivity of the F‐statistic to this parameter is easily examined. The procedure is evaluated with a simulation study where a scale mixture distribution is used to generate outliers. The procedure is also applied to some data where the occurrence of an outlier is confounded with the significance of a regression term. This provides a comparison of two competing models for the data: one removing an outlier and the other including an additional regression term instead.
The digital rainbow: Some history and applications of numerical spectrum analysis
Authors: BRILLINGER David R.
Published: June 2006

Statistical concepts and techniques are basic to scientific investigation. One concept that enjoys both a theoretical and a physical existence is the spectrum. A spectrum may be described as a display of the intensity or variability of a phenomenon versus period or frequency. Spectra are particularly useful in the study of systems subject to resonance, but have many other uses. This paper begins with some of the historical development of the field, describing a sequence of contributions by Michelson, Schuster, Einstein, Fisher, Bartlett, Tukey, and Whittle. The paper next presents collaborative applications to the study of the free oscillations of the earth, to the dispersion of seismic surface waves and to nuclear‐magnetic‐resonance spectroscopy. Finally, there is mention of open problems and opinions on future directions.
Higher‐order approximations for pitman estimators and for optimal compromise estimators
Authors: Ventura Laura
Published: June 2006

Laplace approximations for the Pitman estimators of location or scale parameters, including terms O(n−1), are obtained. The resulting expressions involve the maximum‐likelihood estimate and the derivatives of the log‐likelihood function up to order 3. The results can be used to refine the approximations for the optimal compromise estimators for location parameters considered by Easton (1991). Some applications and Monte Carlo simulations are discussed.
On the estimation of the proportion of positives in a sequence of screening experiments
Authors: Bickis Mikelis , Bleuer Susana , Krewski Daniel
Published: June 2006

A metaanalytic estimator of the proportion of positives in a sequence of screening experiments is proposed. The distribution‐free estimator is based on the empirical distribution of P‐values from individual experiments, which is uniform under the global null hypotheses of no positives in the sequence of experiments performed. Under certain regularity conditions, the proportion of positives corresponds to the derivative of this distribution under the alternative hypothesis of the existence of some positives. The statistical properties of the estimator are established, including its bias, variance, and rate of convergence to normality. Optimal estimators with minimum mean squared error are also developed under specific alternative hypotheses. The application of the proposed methods is illustrated using data from a sequence of screening experiments with chemicals to determine their carcinogenic potential.
Empirical‐distribution‐function goodness‐of‐fit tests for discrete models
Authors: Henze Norbert
Published: June 2006

We present a simple framework for studying empirical‐distribution‐function goodness‐of‐fit tests for discrete models. A key tool is a weak‐convergence result for an estimated discrete empirical process, regarded as a random element in some suitable sequence space. Special emphasis is given to the problem of testing for a Poisson model and for the geometric distribution. Simulations show that parametric bootstrap versions of the tests maintain a nominal level of significance very closely even for small samples where reliance upon asymptotic critical values is doubtful.
Estimation of the number of studies with positive trends when studies with negative trends are present
Authors: Crump Kenny S. , Krewski Daniel
Published: June 2006

A two‐point estimator is proposed for the proportion of studies with positive trends among a collection of studies, some of which may demonstrate negative trends. The proposed estimator is the y‐intercept of the secant line joining the points (a, F̌(a)) and (b, F̌(b)), where F̌(p) is the empirical distribution function of p‐values from one‐tailed tests for positive trend derived from the individual studies. Although this estimator is negatively biased for any choice of the points 0 ≤ a < b ≤ 1, the bias is less than that of the previously proposed one‐point estimator defined by setting b = 1. The bias of the two‐point estimator is smallest when a and b approach the inflection point of the true distribution function, E [F̌(p)]. The utility of the two‐point estimator is demonstrated by using it to estimate the number of male‐mouse liver carcinogens among carcinogenicity studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program.
Statistical assessment of multivalued screening tests
Authors: Viana Marios A. G. , Rogatko André , Rebbeck Timothy R.
Published: June 2006

When the outcome of a screening test is expressed by the probabilities of k possible outcomes among individuals with a certain physiologic condition and by the corresponding probabilities among individuals without the condition, the screening usefulness of the test depends on the relative likelihood that its result may properly alter the management of a given patient. New statistical methods are introduced to apply the screening usefulness concept to the assessment of combined or multivalued tests. The method is applied to assess the usefulness of genotypes at cytochrome P450 IAI and glutathione‐S‐transferase‐μ as biomarkers of susceptibility to developing lung cancer. The argument and methods developed should be widely applicable to the statistical assessment of screening tests for a wide range of physiologic conditions.
Integrated marked Poisson processes with application to image correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Benn A.G. , Kulperger R.J.
Published: June 2006

Image correlation spectroscopy (ICS) is an experimental technique used in the study of cell tissue, specifically to obtain information about protein aggregates. This paper discusses a filtered Poisson process model of ICS, and uses this to obtain the sampling distribution of an estimator of interest, using spectral methods. Integrals of third‐ and fourth‐order spectra are involved, and methods proposed in the literature are studied numerically. They are found to be infeasible methods, requiring months of computing time. An alternative method is proposed and is illustrated on some actual ICS experiments. A novel feature in this study is the use of a SIMD‐class parallel computer, a MasPar MP‐2 machine, to obtain some statistical properties of the estimation method.
On moments of the supremum of normed weighted averages
Authors: Li Deli
Published: June 2006

Let {X, Xn; n ≥ 1} be a sequence of real‐valued iid random variables, 0 < r < 2 and p > 0. Let D = {A = (ank; 1 ≤ k ≤ n, n ≥ 1); ank, ϵ R and supn, k |an,k| < ∞}. Set Sn(A) = ∑nk=1an, kXk for A ϵ D and n ≥ 1. This paper is devoted to determining conditions whereby E{supn ≥ 1, |Sn(A)|/n1/r}p < ∞ or E{supn ≥ 2 |Sn(A)|/2n log n)1/2}p < ∞ for every A ϵ D. This generalizes some earlier results, including those of Burkholder (1962), Choi and Sung (1987), Davis (1971), Gut (1979), Klass (1974), Siegmund (1969) and Teicher (1971).
Isotonic estimation of the intensity of a nonhomogeneous Poisson process: The multiple realization setup
Authors: Zielinski Jan M. , Wolfson David B. , Nilakantan Lakshmi , Confavreux Christian
Published: June 2006

In the 1950s Brunk and Van Eeden each obtained maximum‐likelihood estimators of a finite product of probability density functions under partial or complete ordering of their parameters. Their results play an important role in the general theory of inference under order restrictions and lead to an isotonic estimator of the intensity of a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. Here an elementary derivation of the maximum likelihood estimator (m.l.e.) for the intensity of a nonhomogeneous Poisson process is given when several (possibly censored) realizations are available. Boswell obtained the m.l.e. based on a single realization as well as a conditional m.l.e. under the same conditions. An example is given to show that in the multirealization setup a conditional m.l.e. may not exist; the proofs are, we believe, new and elementary. An illustrative application is given.
A characterization of probability distributions similar to the exponential
Authors: Chukova S. , Dimitrov B. , Khalil Z.
Published: June 2006

A concept of the lack‐of‐memory property at a given time point c > 0 is introduced. It is equivalent to the concept of the almost‐lack‐of‐memory (ALM) property of the random variables. A representation theorem is given for the cumulative distribution function of such random variables as well as for corresponding decompositions in terms of independent random variables. It is shown that a periodic failure rate for a random variable is equivalent to the ALM property. In addition some properties of the service time of an unreliable server are observed.
Random r‐content of an r‐simplex from beta‐type‐2 random points
Authors: Chu David P.T.
Published: June 2006

We study the r‐content Δ of the r ‐simplex generated by r+ 1 independent random points in R”. Each random point Zj is isotropic and distributed according to λ||Zj||2 ∼ beta‐type‐2(n/2, v), λ, v > 0. We provide an asymptotic normality result which is analogous to the conjecture made by Miles (1971). A method is introduced to work out the exact density of W = (rλ)r(r!Δ)2/(r + |)r+l and hence that of Δ. The distribution of W is also related to some hypothesis‐testing problems in multivariate analysis. Furthermore, by using this method, the distribution of W or Δ can easily be simulated.
Some statistical opportunities in the agricultural sciences
Authors: Billard L.
Published: June 2006

Quantitative plant‐disease epidemiology gained its primary motivation with the publication of VanderPlank's (1963) mathematical treatise, since which a range of predominantly deterministic models has been proposed by plant pathologists to describe the temporal dynamic of plant diseases. In this article, a number of results are reviewed. In particular, a summary is made of the primary models developed in the literature together with diseases for which they were proposed; estimation of the infection rate is considered for the generalized logistic model; and a bivariate stochastic model for stem and leaf infection is developed and used to obtain measures of plant disease stress.
Pay equity: The role and limitations of statistical analysis
Authors: Gray M.
Published: June 2006

Regression is the method of choice for analyzing complex salary structures, such as those of university faculty. Unfortunately, not only are there limitations on the data available and shortcomings in the method, but courts do not always understand the evidence presented to them. Statistical analysis can play an important role in uncovering discrimination, but caution is necessary in analysis and presentation.
Convergence results for strict C‐sequences
Authors: Bouzar Nadjib
Published: June 2006

We examine properties of strict C‐sequences. These sequences are a generalization both of eventual martingales and of quasimartingales. Several global and local convergence results are proved. The transform and the quadratic variation of a strict C‐sequence are also studied. A comparison with various martingale generalizations is established.
Small area estimation using unmatched sampling and linking models
Authors: You Yong , Rao J. N. K.
Published: June 2006

The authors use a hierarchical Bayes approach to area level unmatched sampling and Unking models for small area estimation. Empirically they compare inferences under unmatched models with those obtained under the customary matched sampling and linking models. They apply the proposed method to Canadian census undercoverage estimation, developing a full hierarchical Bayes approach using Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling methods. They show that the method can provide efficient model‐based estimates. They use posterior predictive distributions to assess model fit.
Bayesian estimation of cognitive decline in patients with alzheimer's disease
Authors: Béalisle Patrick , Joseph Lawrence , Wolfson David B. , Zhou Xiaojie
Published: June 2006

Recently, there has been great interest in estimating the decline in cognitive ability in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Measuring decline is not straightforward, since one must consider the choice of scale to measure cognitive ability, possible floor and ceiling effects, between‐patient variability, and the unobserved age of onset. The authors demonstrate how to account for the above features by modeling decline in scores on the Mini‐Mental State Exam in two different data sets. To this end, they use hierarchical Bayesian models with change points, for which posterior distributions are calculated using the Gibbs sampler. They make comparisons between several such models using both prior and posterior Bayes factors, and compare the results from the models suggested by these two model selection criteria.
Estimation of the mean of a spherically symmetric distribution with constraints on the norm
Authors: Fourdrinier Dominique , Ouassou Idir
Published: June 2006

The authors consider the problem of estimating, under quadratic loss, the mean of a spherically symmetric distribution when its norm is supposed to be known and when a residual vector is available. They give a necessary and sufficient condition for the optimal James‐Stein estimator to dominate the usual estimator. Various examples are given that are not necessarily variance mixtures of normal distributions. Consideration is also given to an alternative class of robust James‐Stein type estimators that take into account the residual vector. A more general domination condition is given for this class.
Nonparametric smoothing using state space techniques
Authors: Brown Patrick E. , De Jong Piet
Published: June 2006

The authors examine the equivalence between penalized least squares and state space smoothing using random vectors with infinite variance. They show that despite infinite variance, many time series techniques for estimation, significance testing, and diagnostics can be used. The Kalman filter can be used to fit penalized least squares models, computing the smoothed quantities and related values. Infinite variance is equivalent to differencing to stationarity, and to adding explanatory variables. The authors examine constructs called “smoothations” which they show to be fundamental in smoothing. Applications illustrate concepts and methods.
Blind nonparametric regression
Authors: Cañette Isabel
Published: June 2006

One must sometimes follow the evolution of several individuals which cannot be distinguished. The author proposes a graphical estimator of individual evolution that can be used in such cases. She shows that this estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal.
Dimensionality reduction approach to multivariate prediction
Authors: Merola Giovanni M. , Abraham Bovas
Published: June 2006

The authors consider dimensionality reduction methods used for prediction, such as reduced rank regression, principal component regression and partial least squares. They show how it is possible to obtain intermediate solutions by estimating simultaneously the latent variables for the predictors and for the responses. They obtain a continuum of solutions that goes from reduced rank regression to principal component regression via maximum likelihood and least squares estimation. Different solutions are compared using simulated and real data.
Diagnostic tests for bias of estimating equations in weighted regression with missing covariates
Authors: Claire Lei S.‐Y. , Wang Suojin
Published: June 2006

The authors propose two tests, one parametric and the other semiparametric, for testing bias of estimating equations in weighted regression with partially missing covariates when the primary regression model is correctly specified. More generally, the proposed tests may be thought of as a diagnostic tool for the combined package of the primary regression model and the missingness assumptions. The asymptotic null distributions of the two test statistics are derived under the assumption of missingness at random for the partially missing covariates. A small scale simulation study completes the work.
Goodness‐of‐fit tests for the hyperbolic distribution
Authors: Puig Pedro , Stephens Michael A.
Published: June 2006

The authors give tests of fit for the hyperbolic distribution, based on the Cramér‐von Mises statistic W2. They consider the general case with four parameters unknown, and some specific cases where one or two parameters are fixed. They give two examples using stock price data.
Nonparametric estimation of the bivariate cdf for arbitrarily censored data
Authors: Gentleman Robert , Vandal Alain C.
Published: June 2006

Right, left or interval censored multivariate data can be represented by an intersection graph. Focussing on the bivariate case, the authors relate the structure of such an intersection graph to the support of the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimate (NPMLE) of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) for such data. They distinguish two types of non‐uniqueness of the NPMLE: representational, arising when the likelihood is unaffected by the distribution of the estimated probability mass within regions, and mixture, arising when the masses themselves are not unique. The authors provide a brief overview of estimation techniques and examine three data sets.
Testing lack of fit of regression models under heteroscedasticity
Authors: Li Chin‐Shang
Published: June 2006

A test is proposed for assessing the lack of fit of heteroscedastic nonlinear regression models that is based on comparison of nonparametric kernel and parametric fits. A data‐driven method is proposed for bandwidth selection using the asymptotically optimal bandwidth of the parametric null model which leads to a test that has a limiting normal distribution under the null hypothesis and is consistent against any fixed alternative. The resulting test is applied to the problem of testing the lack of fit of a generalized linear model.
Bayesian variable selection for proportional hazards models
Authors: Ibrahim Joseph G. , Chen Ming‐Hui , MacEachern Steven N.
Published: June 2006

The authors consider the problem of Bayesian variable selection for proportional hazards regression models with right censored data. They propose a semi‐parametric approach in which a nonparametric prior is specified for the baseline hazard rate and a fully parametric prior is specified for the regression coefficients. For the baseline hazard, they use a discrete gamma process prior, and for the regression coefficients and the model space, they propose a semi‐automatic parametric informative prior specification that focuses on the observables rather than the parameters. To implement the methodology, they propose a Markov chain Monte Carlo method to compute the posterior model probabilities. Examples using simulated and real data are given to demonstrate the methodology.
Nonrobustness of the information test in detecting heterogeneity
Authors: Jones Michael P.
Published: June 2006

In data sets that consist of a large number of clusters, a frequent goal of the analysis is to detect whether heterogeneity exists between clusters. A standard approach is to model the heterogeneity in the framework of a mixture model and to derive a score test to detect heterogeneity. The likelihood function, from which the score test derives, depends heavily on the assumed density of the response variable. This paper examines the robustness of the heterogeneity test to misspecification of this density function when there is homogeneity and shows that the test size can be far different from the nominal level.
Rank‐based test procedures for interaction in the two‐way layout with one observation per cell
Authors: Hartlaub Bradley A. , Dean Angela M. , Wolfe Douglas A.
Published: June 2006

New aligned‐rank test procedures for the composite null hypothesis of no interaction effects (without placing restrictions on the two main effects) against appropriate composite general alternatives are developed for the standard two‐way layout with a single observation per cell. Relative power performances of the two new aligned‐rank procedures and existing tests due to Tukey (1949) and to de Kroon & van der Laan (1981) are examined via Monte Carlo simulation. Extensive power studies conducted on the 5 × 6 and 5 × 9 two‐way layouts with one observation per cell show superior performance of the new procedures for a variety of interaction effects. Simulated critical values for the new procedures are provided in settings where the number of levels for each of the factors is between 3 and 9, inclusive.
Tests of serial independence based on Kendall's process
Authors: Genest Christian , Quessy Jean‐FranÇlois , RÉamillard Bruno
Published: June 2006

The authors propose new rank statistics for testing the white noise hypothesis in a time series. These statistics are Cramér‐von Mises and Kolmogorov‐Smirnov functionals of an empirical distribution function whose mean is related to a serial version of Kendall's tau through a linear transform. The authors determine the asymptotic behaviour of the underlying serial process and the large‐sample distribution of the proposed statistics under the null hypothesis of white noise. They also present simulation results showing the power of their tests.
An Observation Procedure to Differentiate Teaching Experience and Expertise in Music Education
Authors: Standley Jayne M. , Madsen Clifford K.
Published: June 2006

One hundred fifty music teachers and students were asked to simultaneously observe, analyze, and write extemporaneously about 20 videotaped excerpts of live music situations. Subjects were divided on the basis of their expertise and experience into five groups of 30 people each: freshmen, juniors, novices, experienced teachers, and experts.

Responses were analyzed with differential points being given for accurate factual and inferential statements. Individual scores ranged from 17 to 205 points. Group means were widely differentiated and increased systematically as experience and expertise increased, and all differences between groups were significant except between the freshmen and juniors. A two-way ANOVA revealed that the difference in scores between experienced and expert teachers was not due solely to years of experience.
Performance of Perceived Beat in Relation to Age and Music Training
Authors: Duke Robert A. , Geringer John M. , Madsen Clifford K.
Published: June 2006

The perception of beat across a range of stimulus speeds was examined using monotonic I stimuli. Two hundred forty subjects representing four age-groups (graduate, undergraduate, high school, junior high school) and two levels of music participation (music major/enrollment in band versus no participation in organized music activities) served as subjects. Thirteen sets of consecutive periodic 349.23 Hz (F4) tones were presented at various speeds in randomized orders. The rates of the 15-second examples were 40, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 200, and 240 tones per minute. Subjects' tasks were to listen to each example and to tap the perceived beat or pulse.

Results indicate that college music majors and other listeners responded differentially. Music majors tended to identify beat tempi between 70 and 120 beats per minute (bpm) regardless of the speed of stimulus tones presented, suggesting that faster rates of presentation (≥ 140 bpm) were perceived as subdivisions of slower beat tempi, and that slower rates of presentation (≤ 60 bpm) were perceived as pulses spanning two or more faster beats. Although a similar tendency was apparent in the responses of the remaining subjects, a majority tapped beats identical to the stimulus tones across all rates of presentation. That is, nonmusic subjects seemed to perceive the stimulus tones as beats, regardless of the rate of presentation, whereas the trained musicians tended to perceive beat tempi within a defined range across all stimulus speeds.
Effect of Color-Coded Notation on Music Achievement of Elementary Instrumental Students
Authors: Rogers George L.
Published: June 2006

In this study, the researcher attempted to determine whether the use of color-coded notation in instructional materials affected students' performance on tasks of performing music from memory, sight-reading, and naming letter names of notes. Ninety-two fifth- and sixth-grade beginning wind players were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group used color-coded method books in which each pitch was highlighted with a different color. The control group used identical materials, but with the notation uncolr ored. All subjects were tested on reading both color-coded and uncolored notation. Results after the 12-week instructional period showed no clear advantage for the experimental group. Group means on the memory task did not differ significantly. Experimental and control group scores did not differ significantly when subjects sight-read the type of notation with which they had been trained, although the experimental group mean was higher. A statistically significant interaction was noted between the treatment and the presentation mode. Similar results were found on the note-naming task. The color-coded materials had a positive affective influence in that 65% of all subjects favored the color-coded notation as easier to play.
Effects of Music on Physiological Response
Authors: Landreth Janet E. , Landreth Hobart F.
Published: June 2006

For this study the heart rates of twenty-two members of a college-level music appreciation class were recorded while students listened to the first movement of Beethoven's fifth symphony. The measurements were taken at three different times over a six-week period before, during, and after experimental treatment. Experimental treatment consisted of either audiotutorial tapes or repetitive listening sessions devised for specific musical-ability groups. The same test music was used throughout the entire study to determine the effects of learning and repetitive exposure on heart rate response. A control group had no further exposure to the test music during the study. Stable segments of the test music provoked tachycardia (elevated heart rate) in the subjects, while alternating segments produced bradycardia (lowered heart rate). Heart rate response to music was found to be linked with the presence or absence of learning.
A Comparison of Rhythm Pattern Perception and Performance in Normal and Learning-Disabled Readers, Age Seven and Eight
Authors: Atterbury Betty W.
Published: June 2006

While the passage of Public Law 94–142 has increased the mainstreaming of exceptional children in general music classes, little research has been conducted to determine if these children learn music similarly to normal learners. This study investigated possible differences in rhythm pattern ability between 40 normal and learning-disabled readers, age 7 and 8. Individual assessment of rhythm perception and rhythm performance was conducted using three modes of presentation: tapped, melodic, tapped and spoken (ta, ti-ti, etc.). Three responses were measured; recognition (same and different), join-in performance, and echo performance. The rhythm section of the Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) (E. Gordon, 1979) was adapted for the exceptional subjects. Significant differences in rhythm pattern ability were found between the two reading-ability groups that was greater at age 7 than at age 8. Group differences were found on both performance measures but not on the author's perception test. Significant group differences were found on the PMMA, rhythm section.
Tempo Preferences of Different Age Music Listeners
Authors: LeBlanc Albert , Colman James , McCrary Jan , Sherrill Carolyn , Malin Sue
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of four levels of tempo on the self-reported preferences of six different age-groups for traditional jazz music listening examples. The authors administered a listening test to 926 students in 45 classrooms from third grade through college level in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Test reliability was evaluated in terms of internal consistency, student behavior was observed during the test, and free-response feedback was solicited from the students at the end of the measurement procedure as an additional check on the validity of results. A Friedman analysis of variance disclosed a significant preference for increasingly faster tempi at every age level. These results confirm and extend those LeBlanc and McCrary obtained in a 1983 study that was limited to fifth- and sixth-grade students. Listener age exerted a strong influence on overall preference scores, which were highest with the youngest listeners (third grade), declined steadily to a low point at seventh grade, then rose again as age increased to the college level.
Verbal Behavior Analysis as a Supervisory Technique with Student Teachers of Music
Authors: Verrastro Ralph E.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of the study was to determine the differential influence of a supervisory process based on constructs derived from the Withall Social-Emotional Climate Index on verbal behavior patterns exhibited by student teachers of music, their ability to engage in objective self-assessment, and the effect of such activity on the students' percepts of teacher-role ideology. The results indicated that: (1) student teachers of music appear not to be predisposed to the employment of learner-centered instructional behavior; (2) student teachers of music can be sensitized to the employment of both learner-centered and teacher-centered verbal patterns in accordance with the purpose and nature of the instruction being provided; and (3) verbal behavior analysis supervision tends to encourage objective self-assessment and provides a functional and commonly defined basis for the systematic improvement of teaching performance.
Effects of Visual-Spatial Added Cues on Fourth-Graders' Melodic Discrimination
Authors: Forsythe Jere L. , Kelly Margaret M.
Published: June 2006

A videotaped music-listening test was developed in which 30 brief melodies were paired with visual-spatial representations through vertical and horizontal hand motions across a chalkboard. Subjects were asked whether the second playing of each melody was the same as or different from the first. The 30-minute test was administered to all fourth-grade pupils in three elementary schools representing urban, suburban, and rural settings. Within each school, subjects were randomly assigned to one of three testing conditions: (1) aural + visual presentations of both first and second playings (AV - AV); (2) aural + visual first playing to aural-only second playing (AV - AO); or (3) aural only for both playings (AO - AO). A two-way analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the three conditions and among the three school settings. Interaction between testing condition and school was not significant. Post hoc tests of significance revealed that all comparisons were significantly different among both testing modes and school settings. The AV - AV mean score was the highest among the three modes of testing. The pairing of visual-spatial stimuli seems generally effective in aiding melodic discrimination.
The Effect of Concurrent Music Reading and Performance on the Ability to Detect Tempo Change
Authors: Ellis Mark Carlton
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of concurrent performance on the ability of three groups of musicians to detect tempo change. Ninety subjects were tested under two conditions: (a) listening for tempo changes in a series of metronomic “click tracks” and (b) listening for tempo changes while concurrently reading and performing music excerpts in synchronization with the click tracks. Results indicated that: (a) for all groups, the ability to detect tempo changes was inhibited by the playing task; (b) the detection ability of high school musicians who had previously practiced the music was less inhibited by the playing task than was the same ability of similar students who had not practiced the music; and (c) the detection ability of college and prof essional musicians who had not practiced the music was less inhibited by the playing task than was the detection ability of high school musicians who had not practiced the music.
Willem van de Wall: Organizer and Innovator in Music Education and Music Therapy
Authors: Clair Alicia Ann , Heller George N.
Published: June 2006

This research is an analysis and description of the unique role of Willem van de Wall in the development of music education and his influence on the development of music therapy in the first half of the twentieth century. During his career, he served as a professional harpist, a choral director, and a professor of music education. During the course of his professional life, van de Wall wrote numerous articles and several books that advocated the structured and controlled use of music in institutions, including schools, psychiatric hospitals, general hospitals, and prisons. Although his early writings focused on development of handicapped individuals, his later work shifted to a broader application of music in the education of normal children and adults. Van de Wall believed that musical behaviors were influenced by biological and emotional factors. He strongly encouraged research to establish credibility for the influence of music on normal and aberrant human behavior. Van de Wall's writings contributed significantly to music education and shaped the practice of hospital musicians, who later established the field of music therapy.
Instrument Association Skills: Children in First and Second Grades
Authors: Wooderson Dawn C. , Small Ann R.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate one aspect of music perception and music knowledge of children at the beginning of formal music training, and to compare the profiles of perception and knowledge of children at two levels of maturation and learning. Subjects were asked to listen to the sound of individual musical instruments and then to match the sound heard with one of the two instrument pictures displayed. Second graders scored significantly higher ( p < .001) than first graders in instrument association; rank orders of instruments according to association difficulty, however, were markedly similar between grades. These results support the opinion that children bring much music knowledge to their first music classes.
Comprehensive Musicianship in the Contemporary Music Project's Southern Region Institutes for Music in Contemporary Education
Authors: Bess David Michael
Published: June 2006

This study offers a historical perspective of the implementation of Comprehensive Musicianship from 1966 through 1968 in the five colleges and universities that formed the Southern Region of the Contemporary Music Projects Institutes for Music in Contemporary Education (IMCE) program: East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina; Florida State University, Tallahassee; George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee; University of Georgia, Athens; and University of Kentucky, Lexington.

Diverse realizations of Comprehensive Musicianship were fostered among the Southern Region IMCE institutions, ranging from East Carolina University's integrated theory-history courses for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to the University of Georgia's small-scale experiment on the use of composition as part of sophomore theory instruction. Although the IMCE program influenced music faculty members in the Southern Region schools to confront important issues about college training in musicianship, the long-term effects of the program were minimal in the five schools.
The Effect of Pretraining Conditions and Age on Pitch Discrimination Ability of Preschool Children
Authors: Jordan-DeCarbo Joyce
Published: June 2006

This study reports two experiments investigating the effect of three pretraining conditions on the discrimination of select pitch patterns. Condition 1 was based on the principles of differentiation theory, Condition 2 was based on the principles of mediation theory, and Condition 3 served as a control group. Ninety subjects, aged 3, 4, and 5 years, participated in Experiment 1. The dependent variable was an investigator-designed aural discrimination measure, Trials to Criterion, in which subjects had to identify paired pitch patterns as the same or different. Results revealed no significant differences among condition groups but indicated a significant age effect, with 5-year-olds performing better than 3- and 4-year-olds. Experiment 2 was a replication of the same study following a 10-day aural readiness procedure that provided an informal, nonparticipatory exposure for all subjects to the four tonal patterns used in the study. Ninety different subjects, aged 3, 4, and 5 years, participated. Results revealed no significant differences among condition groups but yielded significant differences among all age-groups. An interaction effect revealed that the age 5, Condition 1 and 2 groups scored significantly higher than all other groups.
The Relationship Among Conductors' Rankings of Three Unfamiliar Wind Band Scores
Authors: Fiese Richard K.
Published: June 2006

The twofold purpose of this study was to examine college and university wind band conductors' agreement regarding the relative musical quality of three unfamiliar wind band scores and to collect and synthesize conductor's reported criteria for their rankings. Thirty-three conductors responded to a request to examine, compare, and rank the scores on the basis of relative musical quality, and then list their criteria for their decisions in a free-response format. There was no statistically significant agreement among the conductors' expressed judgments of the relative musical quality of the three unfamiliar scores used in this study. There seemed to be agreement, however, regarding the criteria used as bases for their judgments. Results suggest that individual perception and differing emphases among the criteria may have influenced the conductors' rankings of the three scores.
In-Service Classroom Teachers' Perceptions of Useful Music Skills and Understandings
Authors: Saunders T. Clark , Baker Dawn S.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to identify the music skills and understandings that in-service early-childhood and elementary classroom teachers perceived as useful, regardless of whether the topics were studied in preservice music classes. Classroom teachers in schools in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., in which music specialists were present returned 159 responses. Using music to supplement other curricular areas, which 88% of the respondents perceived as being useful, ranked first among useful skills and understandings. Other topics that the majority of respondents perceived as useful focused on providing singing, movement, listening, and creative experiences.
Roots of an Ambivalent Culture: Music, Education, and Music Education in Antebellum America
Authors: Eaklor Vicki L.
Published: June 2006

Histories of the introduction of music into the emerging public school system of antebellum I America traditionally have emphasized the highly influential role that “music education” came to play in shaping American musical culture. Little has been said, however, about the character of that influence. Accepting the interpretation that presents public school music as a cornerstone of the culture, this study attempts to analyze the nature of this contribution by placing the theories and practices of the first “music educators” more clearly within the context of both their musical heritage—New England sacred music—and the social thought of their era. In so doing, it can be demonstrated that the presence of music in the antebellum common school both typified and contributed to a uniquely American ambivalence between musical and amusical ideals that came to be the hallmark of the culture.
Wind Instrumentalists' Intonational Performance of Selected Musical Intervals
Authors: Duke Robert A.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of the study was to examine intonation patterns concerning melodic and harmonic musical intervals compared to equal temperament. Forty-eight junior high school, high school, and college undergraduate musicians were assigned to one of four experimental conditions in a split-plot design. Subjects performed four diatonic intervals (major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, and major sixth) both melodically and harmonically. Results indicated no significant differences in overall intonation accuracy in relationship to performed ascending and descending directions or among the four test intervals. In relationship to sharpness versus flatness there were significant, if musically inconsequential, differences: when subjects descended, intervals were performed slightly sharper; when subjects ascended, intervals were performed slightly flatter. Junior high school subjects performed slightly sharper compared to college subjects. Differential verbal feedback and a headphone listening condition produced no significant differences.
The Effects of Stimulus Familiarity on Conservation-Type Responses to Tone Sequences: A Cross-Cultural Study
Authors: Hargreaves David J. , Castell Kate C.
Published: June 2006

The body of research on music conservation is briefly outlined and critically evaluated; although most of the results of this research are in line with predictions from Jean Piaget's theory, there are many reasons the analogy with nonmusic conservation tasks may be invalid. These issues were investigated in the present study by comparing the performances of equivalent groups of 6-year-olds and 8-year-olds in the United Kingdom and the United States on “pitch transposition” and “rhythmic inversion” music conservation tasks that employed either familiar or unfamiliar tone sequences (common nursery rhyme tunes or “statistical approximations to music” respectively) as stimulus materials. Significantly more conservation-type responses were produced by 8-year-olds than by 6-year-olds, and were evoked more by familiar than unfamiliar tone sequences over all conditions. There were no other significant main effects or interactions. Although these results could broadly be interpreted as supporting Piagetian theory, the strong stimulus effect suggests that familiar and unfamiliar sequences may be processed differently, such that an explanation in terms of the development of conservation-type abilities may be inadequate.