Provide page references from the text and ppt to support your answer.

3-5 facts with 3-5 examples to

prove your understanding.

Define and Explain “Motherese”

“Motherese” refers to the infant-directed speech. It is the style of speech that has ‘musical’
qualities where people talk to infants in a high-pitched tone, has slower tempo, longer pauses, and
wider fluctuations in pitch and loudness (pg. 151). Since infants seems to show better interest on ‘new’
melody - as showed in Chang, Trehubs’ study in 1977 (pg.146) – “motherese” may have been develop
overtime to elicit an infant’s attention and interest.

Explain how music can have meaning for listeners

According to the text, there are two different approach on how music can have meanings for
listeners. First, the referentialist perspective, which is musical notes or words may have association
outside the symbol system (pg.245). This means that the music is determines by its context. Second way
is the aesthetic perspective, which takes the view of music “existing to be simply beautiful” (pg.246).
This means that there are no other meaning but the music itself.

Discuss the “Mozart Effect”

Mozart Effect is a popular belief that listening to classical music while pregnant or playing
classical music to infants and newborns have lasting benefits to the baby. It is believed that this will
increase their cognitive functions and boost IQ/intelligence. According to the text, “Mozart Effect” can
be traced back all the way to 1993, where Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky’s study showed that people who
listen to Mozart”s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major performed significantly better than people who
didn’t (pg.140). However, other researchers’ study failed to replicate their findings. In addition, there
are many other explanations that received less attention in the media. This is that listening to Mozart’s
music causes more arousal, thus it improved a person’s performance when performing a task.

Please explain your understanding of the term syncopation as it applies to your music

Syncopation happens when the notes being played is against the beat of the piece. Its either
played slightly before or after the beat. According to the text, music that is syncopated often promotes
motion and groove (pg. 102). An example would be “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, his melody
always starts after the first beat and played before the second beat, this means that the syncopation is
played in between the beats.
Please explain the term rhythm as it applies to music

Often rhythm is used when talking about tempo, meter and rhythm. But in terms of music,
rhythm “is the pattern of long and short notes being used at any particular time” (Perception of musical
Time 2 PowerPoint, slide 6). It could be played regularly or irregular, emphasize a weak note or in
between the beats. Rhythm allows the audience to comprehend and enjoy the music better while the
tempo is the “rate of the music is performed” (pg. 96) and meter is the “perceived regularity in musical
time” (pg.96). To conclude rhythm is the perceived pattern in a music piece, which can be either long or
short, regular or irregular, and strong or weak. It is used to elicit a better reaction from the audience.

Musical performance is a complex memory task. Explain

Musical performance is a complex memory task because the music must be maintained in the
memory before the performance. And in order for the music to stay in the performer’s memory, there
are many ways to keep it and it differs with people. Some may be able to retain it by long hours of
practice. Some might have a photographic memory which allows them to remember it quickly, or some
might use something that allows them to remember it (pg. 200). But in essence, this tells us that the
memory is involved in these performances.

How do performers communicate emotion?

Performers can deviate from the score to communicate emotion when performing. Patrik
Juslin’s theory is that the performer ‘encodes’ the emotion and uses ‘cues’ - like slowing down, speeding
up, playing softer or louder – and the listeners ‘decodes’ the said cues to recognize the emotion (pg.
267). In order to show his theory, Juslin adopted the ‘circumplex’ model of emotion (pg.267), which
basically shows cues that is associated with emotion.

According to the text: When are the “best” times to introduce children to musical education and what
are the best teaching practices? Why?

How do psychologists explain how emotion is caused by musical??

According to the text… What kinds of thins might interfere with memory in a musical performance?
How will completing the subject “Introduction to the Psychology of Music” be of any possible se or value
in your life and or career?

Music has evolved and will continue to evolve in the future. In this course, “Introduction to
Psychology of music”, we have learned how music came to be, theories and its advantages. I do believe
that taking this subject and completing it is valuable as it taught me of many things that I can apply in
the near future.

An example would be learning the theory of “motherese” or the infant-directed speech, which
is an act of ‘melodic’ speech that uses pitch, tone, amplitude, meter, rhythm, and melody when talking
to a baby. Often, I hear my relatives or friends talk to a baby in a high-pitched tone and I always
wondered why. Before, when I talked to my god daughter who is now 5 months old, my aunt told to talk
in a high-pitched ‘melodic’ voice. I ask my aunt why did she ask me so but she did not give me any
explanation, and told me just to do it. Now, I know that by talking in this “motherese” speech, I am able
to elicit her interest and attention. This is in Chang, Trehubs’ study in 1977 (pg.146), where they talked
about new melody draws out a baby’s interest and attention more.

Another example would be the belief of ‘Mozart’s Effect’. I am a huge believer of listening to
classical music enhances a person’s intelligence as it was told to me often by my family and friends.
However, during this semester, I found out that it is not a proven fact due to unsuccessful replication of
Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky’s study (pg.140). The cause of a person’s better performance when listen to
music may be because of an arousal which stimulates a person to have a better performance. But I still
believe, that listening to music in general, not just classical music, enhances a person’s intelligence as it
challenges and stimulate our brain when we try to listen to the music.

In conclusion, “Introduction to the Psychology of Music” is very valuable because I gained

knowledge that I will be apply in my life. Such as keeping a baby’s attention and interest by talking in an
infant-directed speech, and learning that listening to Mozart’s classic music may not have any effect to a
person’s intelligent but listening to music in general causes our mind to think and get sharper; thus,
enhance our intelligence and focus.