Long-term memory for absolute pitch level of songs in infancy.
Published: 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 22
Description: Adults retain precise pitch information for musically meaningful materials (e.g., themes from popular TV programs). Are similar memories evident in infancy? In Experiment 1, 44 6- and 7-month-olds were exposed to infant-directed folk lullabies for 2 weeks. They were subsequently tested on their preferences for the novel or familiar pitch using a visually based preference procedure. Seven-month-old infants showed greater visual attention when the familiar lullaby was presented at a novel pitch level. No such preference was evident in 6-month olds. In Experiment 2, an additional group of 6-month-old infants was tested with the same stimuli, but without prior exposure to the lullabies. These infants exhibited preferential looking for the lower pitched songs. Thus, prior exposure may have conflicted with pre-existing preferences in Experiment 1. Our results indicate that 7-month-olds (and perhaps younger infants) retain the pitch level of familiar music if this music is meaningful to them.
Notes: Advisers: S. E. Trehub; E. G. Schellenberg.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004.

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, page: 2350.

MICR copy on microfiche (1 microfiche).