Tuning in to musical rhythms: infants learn more readily than adults.
Domain-general tuning processes may guide the acquisition of perceptual knowledge in infancy. Here, we demonstrate that 12-month-old infants show an adult-like, culture-specific pattern of responding to musical rhythms, in contrast to the culture-general responding that is evident at 6 months of age. Nevertheless, brief exposure to foreign music enables 12-month-olds, but not adults, to perceive rhythmic distinctions in foreign musical contexts. These findings may indicate a sensitive period early in life for acquiring rhythm in particular or socially and biologically important structures more generally.
Hannon
Erin E
EE
Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. ehannon@fas.harvard.edu
Trehub
Sandra E
SE
D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D010507:Periodicity