Adult Identification of Music Behaviors Demonstrated by Young Children

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this research was to investigate how adults identify music behaviors of young children in play-based early childhood settings. Seventy-two adults (24 child development teachers, 24 early childhood music teachers, and 24 professional musicians) participated. In each professional expertise group, half were parents. Adults watched video of young children (ages 5 months to 15 months) and adults interacting musically, and pressed the spacebar to identify music behaviors demonstrated by the children. Adults heard one of two directions: half identified behaviors that made musical sense, and half identified behaviors that seemed intentionally musical. Total number of identified behaviors varied significantly based on professional expertise (child development, early childhood music, and professional musician), but not significantly based on parental status or directions. Total number of consensus acts (music behaviors identified by 75% or more of participants in a group) varied significantly based on professional expertise. Consensus acts contained common features: beat-related movements and vocalizations. Results suggest professional expertise in early childhood music may enhance adults’ abilities to identify behaviors as music. Early childhood music teachers identified significantly more music behaviors than the other two groups. Results suggest professional expertise may influence the types of behaviors adults identify as music. All adults agreed beat-related movement was music; early childhood music teachers were significantly more likely than any other group to identify vocalizations as music behaviors.