Date Approved
5-9-1996
Embargo Period
9-2-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Subject Matter Teaching: Music
Department
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math Education
College
College of Education
Advisor
Levinowitz, Lili
Subject(s)
Music--Instruction and study--Juvenile; Parent and child
Disciplines
Elementary Education and Teaching
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a hereditary link between the musical aptitude of elementary students and the musical aptitude of their biological parents.
The problem of the study was to determine if three age specific tests, created by the same author, could be equalized to measure the association of the musical aptitude of students and their biological parents.
Eighty-eight students from Grades 1 through 5 and eighty-one volunteer parents took part in the study, totaling 169 participants. The students from these families attended the same suburban, middle class elementary school, where they received fifty minutes of general music instruction per week from the same certified music specialist. Within a two week period, all students in grades one through five were administered the age appropriate music aptitude test designed by Edwin E. Gordon. Students were scored on Tonal, Rhythm and Composite musical aptitude. In the next two week period, volunteer parents were also administered the age appropriate music aptitude test, which was also designed by Edwin E. Gordon. Parents were likewise scored on Tonal, Rhythm and Composite musical aptitude.
Subsequently, scores for the students and parents were divided into categories of high, medium and low musical aptitude for Tonal, Rhythm and Composite scores. Each parent/child dyad were then assigned to their respective place within three separate 3x3 cross breaks designs for each of the subtests of Tonal, Rhythm and Composite, respectively. The data were analyzed using a chi square statistic.
The researcher failed to find a statistically significant association between the musical aptitude of children and their biological parents when comparing their scores on three music aptitude tests.
Recommended Citation
Guerrini, Susan, "An investigation of the association between the musical aptitude of elementary students and the musical aptitude of their biological parents" (1996). Theses and Dissertations. 2165.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2165
