World Music Open-earedness as a Possible Measure of Proteophilia and Connection to a Cultural Secure Base: A Commentary on Quan et al. (2022)

Abstract

In this commentary, I discuss the key findings of Quan et al. (2022) and consider how their World Music Open-earedness Scale might contribute to future research and practice. I offer an alternative assessment of the relationship between world music open-earedness and sociocultural adaptation, and suggest how this may be investigated further. I extend this into a reinterpretation of the result linking specific functions of music to adaptation, adding greater emphasis to the role of music as an explicit expression of culture. I propose that these findings can be used to support an increased focus on culture and art in educational contexts, including an increase in intercultural content and encounters.