Abstract
The great majority of research in music psychology has focused on one species (humans) and one musical tradition (Western European tonal music). Although this approach has yielded a great deal of knowledge, there are limits to what we can learn about the musical mind from staying within these boundaries. By comparing music processing in humans and other species, we can gain valuable insights into the evolutionary roots of our musical capacities and identify those components of music cognition that are uniquely human. By comparing the processing of music across cultures, we can disentangle universal aspects of music cognition from aspects that are culture-specific. Thus both types of comparative research are needed for a full understanding of the musical mind. The past decade has seen exciting new developments in comparative research that invite further exploration of this frontier area within music psychology.
Published Version
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