the correlation of music aptitude scores with mathematical

34 Pages·2001·0.07 MB·English

by  Campus Computer Lab

THE CORRELATION OF MUSIC APTITUDE SCORES WITH MATHEMATICAL
ACHIEVEMENT SCORES FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
by
Sarah Rother
A Research Paper
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the
Master of Science Degree
With a Major in
School Guidance and Counseling
Approved: 2 Semester Credits
_________________________
Investigation Advisor
The Graduate College
University of Wisconsin - Stout
May, 2000
ABSTRACT
Rother Sarah J
(Writer) (Last Name) (First) (Initial)
The correlation of music aptitude scores with mathematical achievement scores
(Title)
for high school seniors
School Guidance and Counseling Donald Stephenson May/2000 22
(Graduate Major) (Research Advisor) (Mo/Yr) (Pages)
American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual
(Name of Style Manual Used in this Study)
The purpose of this study was to determine the level of correlation
between musical aptitude as measured by the Advanced Measures of Music
Audiation and mathematical achievement as measured by the mathematical
section of the American College Test (ACT). Research has shown that music
instruction can have a positive effect on other areas of learning, like
mathematics and spatial-temporal reasoning. Furthermore, the arts as a
whole, when integrated into a school’s curriculum, has shown great outcomes
in student’s performance in school and attitudes about school.
Twenty high school seniors volunteered to be subjects. They were given
the Advanced Measures of Music Audiation to determine musical aptitude,
while the mathematics scores on the ACT were taken from school records. The
adjusted scores were correlated using Pearson r. The null hypothesis was that
there is no statistically significant correlation between musical aptitude scores
and mathematical achievements scores for high school seniors. The null
hypothesis was accepted at .05.
Although no statistical significance was found, further investigation
should be done concerning the relationship between mathematics and music
and the role the arts may play in education.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Chapter I: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Hypothesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Statement of the Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Null Hypothesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Chapter II: Review of Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Purpose of Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
The Role of the Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Mathematics and Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
The Mozart Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Multiple Intelligences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Cognitive Abilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Current Trends and Implications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Chapter III: Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Description of Variables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Subjects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Instrumentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Data Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Chapter IV: Results and Discussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Discussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Recommendations for Further Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i
Appendices
A. The Advanced Measures of Music Audiation Answer Sheet
B. Subject Consent Form
C. Raw Data
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Means and Standard Deviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
2. Scatterplot of Math and Music Scores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
CHAPTER I
Introduction
Curriculum and instruction in schools is a controversial topic among
many educators. What to teach and how to teach children always seem to be
changing. We want what is best, in order to produce intelligent individuals. In
many U.S. schools today, programs are being reduced or eliminated due to low
funding or declining interest. Since most people agree that students need to
learn core subjects such as mathematics, English, and science, cuts are often
being made to the arts and music programs. But Gordon Shaw, among many
others, concludes that, “School boards make a grave error when they cut out
music” (Marsh, 1999). This is because research has shown that music
instruction can have a positive effect on other areas of learning, like
mathematics and spatial temporal reasoning.
Howard Gardner coined the term “multiple intelligences” about seventeen
years ago (Gardner, 1997). He defines intelligence “as the ability to solve
problems or fashion products that are valued in at least one cultural setting or
community” (p. 34). Gardner identifies seven intelligences:
1. Linguistic - a sensitivity to the meaning of words and verbal memory
(Storfer, 1990).
2. Logical/mathematical - ability to create, retain, and use reasoning.
3. Spatial - appreciation of large spaces and/or logical spatial layouts
(Gardner, 1997).
4. Musical - capacity to create and perceive musical patterns.
5. Bodily/kinesthetic - ability to solve problems or create products using
the whole body or parts of the body.
6. Intrapersonal - the understanding of self.
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7. Interpersonal - the understanding of others.
Those are the seven most commonly described, but there may be an eighth and
ninth intelligence: naturalistic and existential. Even though each is seen as
separate, they work together to produce a particular competency (Storfer,
1990).
Currently in schools, linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligence
(and maybe some spatial intelligence) are of greatest interest (Gardner, 1999).
But this study is also interested in musical intelligence, because it may have
an effect on those intelligences too. Many researchers agree that mathematics
and music are very similar because both are concerned with linking
abstractions together, with making patterns of ideas (Storr, 1992). Another
common fact is that the patterns of relationships with which they are
concerned are predominately non-verbal.
Looking at brain activity, the left hemisphere predominates language
while the right hemisphere predominates visuospatial (nonlinguistic) skills
(Storfer, 1990; Storr, 1992). Music would be included in the right side. If one
agrees with the theory that the brain is a muscle and can be strengthened,
then strengthening the brain in the area of music may have a carry over effect
and strengthen the area in the brain that holds mathematics and spatial skills.
Gardner (1999) found that a group of subjects who were taught music before
taking a test in spatial skills surpassed a control group on some measures of
spatial skill. This study suggests the notion that there may be a connection.
There have been other experiments conducted that demonstrate that
music can enhance reasoning. In 1991, Gordon Shaw and Xiaodan Leng first
hypothesized that listening to music could stimulate brain development
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(Marsh, 1999). They also predicted that music training at an early age (when
the child’s cortex is very plastic) could enhance the ability to use pattern
development in spatial-temporal reasoning (Grandin, Peterson, et al., 1998).
Soon after in 1993, the “Mozart effect” was discovered and has been of interest
for many ever since. Shaw and his colleagues believe and have found evidence
that listening to a Mozart sonata primes the brain’s hardware to tackle
mathematical skills. Not everyone agrees that the Mozart effect is real.
Researchers such as Christopher Chabris and Kenneth Steele have replicated
the study from 1993 and could not confirm the findings (Larkin, 1999). They
found that the temporary improvements in temporal-spatial processing after
listening to Mozart was less than would arise from chance. The findings are
controversial and thus the Mozart effect is still being studied.
Shaw and Francine Rauscher found that piano lessons for preschool
children dramatically improved their performance on a spatial-temporal
reasoning task. If this is true, it would be a mistake to eliminate music
programs from schools, because many students may benefit in other areas of
academics.
Even thought music is often compared to mathematics, it is still
uncertain as to whether there are serious educational implications involving
the instruction of music and improvements in certain areas of mathematics. If
there is a connection, it would be valuable to emphasize music programs and
the instruction of music in schools. Enthusiasm for learning music seems to
be lower for students today. The U.S. Department of Education has found that
the number of music education degrees awarded in the United States is
continuing to decline (“Music education”, 1997). And since the United States
(compared to forty-five other countries) is below average in mathematics, a
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finding that linked music and mathematics could help educators make some
important decisions (Temple, Peterson, et al., 1998). Stressing the importance
of music education could motivate educators to teach music and students to
want to learn music.
A review of the literature shows that there is a possible connection
between mathematics and music. Studies have also shown that music
instruction can enhance the hardware in the brain for spatial-temporal
reasoning. Therefore, the research hypothesis for this study is that there will
be a positive correlation between musical aptitude scores and mathematical
achievement scores for high school seniors.
Statement of the Problem
The purpose of the study is to determine the level of correlation between
musical aptitude as measured by the Advanced Measures of Music Audiation
and mathematical achievement as measured by the mathematical section of
the American College Test (ACT).
Null Hypothesis
The null hypothesis is that there is no statistically significant correlation
between musical aptitude scores and mathematical achievement scores for
high school seniors.
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CHAPTER II
Review of Literature
Many agree that there is evidence of some type of connection between
mathematics and music. If this is true and strengthening intelligence in one
can help strengthen the other, the educational implications should not be
ignored. Chapter two will cover the role that the arts play in education, past
and present. Furthermore, the history of the relationship between
mathematics and music is given with an explanation on how they are both
similar and different. The Mozart effect will be discussed, along with Howard
Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory. Also included are the influences of
early home environment on people’s cognitive abilities and the current teaching
trends of mathematics in schools. Because there is contradicting evidence
among researchers, both evidence for and evidence against the relationship will
be discussed.
Purpose of Education
Many educational psychologists have been debating for years about the
meaning and purpose of education in America’s schools. At the end of the 19th
Century, United States teachers began to view the mind as a muscle, but
people differed on how to help strengthen that muscle. In 1896, Albion Small
stated that “education connotes the evolution of the whole personality, not
merely of intelligence” (Kliebard, 1995, p. 53). He feels that the emphasis of
education is not on a person’s individual development, but on society and
social terms.
Traditional subjects taught in 1910 were History and Social Studies for
students to learn about citizenship. The first junior high Superintendent
Frank F. Bunker reported that curriculum for his school in Berekely, California
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