How Music Works: Music Cognition

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

Why do we have music? Is it merely a cultural phenomenon or is music biologically constrained? And if the latter is the case, is it possible to identify which biological and/or cognitive traits make us musical animals?

First and foremost, it is good to realize that we all have a predisposition for music (like we all have a capacity for language), especially when when it comes to perception (i.e., music listening), and sometimes for production (i.e., music-making). This view is supported by an increasing body of literature, ranging from the pioneering work of developmental psychologists Sandra Trehub and Laurel Trainor (Trainor, 2008; Trehub, 2003) to that of neuroscientists like Jessica Grahn, Isabelle Peretz, and Robert Zatorre (Grahn, 2009; Peretz & Coltheart, 2003; Peretz & Zatorre, 2005; Zatorre, 2005), research that suggests that music has an intimate relation with our cognition and underlying biology.

This course discusses recent developments in the field of music cognition, as well as potential biological components of our capacity for music. Topics include a) the origins and evolution of musicality, b) the cognition of rhythm and melody, c) the similarities and differences between music and language, and d) the effects of music on health and cognition. The topics might change due to recent developments. All topics are introduced in the initial two hour lectures, followed by weekly seminars in which several (recent) papers will be discussed per week. For this the students are asked to bring in issues for a plenary discussion and/or prepare position statements.The course is closed with an essay elaborating on one of the topics that were discussed in the course.

N.B. Students are expected to be familiar with the main terminology of music and music cognition research. Those who are unfamiliar with music or the field of music cognition are advised to read:

• Thompson, W.F. (2014) Music, Thought, and Feeling (2nd Edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

See for a short introduction to music cognition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU7HcV83RXc&index=11&list=PL67549A96BDBC2CD1&t=21s

See for additional information http://www.mcg.uva.nl

Study materials

Literature

• Provided via BlackBoard

Objectives

To gain insight into the aims, methods, and recent results in the cognitive sciences of music.

Teaching methods

• Seminar
• Lecture
• Self-study
• Presentation/symposium
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Laptop seminar
• Computer lab session/practical training

Seminars and (guest) lectures provide the basic information of music cognition and brings to light several of the predominant theories. The computer lab/laptop seminars give students hands-on experience with manipulating sound and music, and examines some basic models for speech and music perception and production.

Learning activities

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (OER-B):

1. In the case of practicals, the student must attend at least 80%. Should the student attend less than 80%, he/she must redo the practical, or the Examinations Board may have one or more supplementary assignments issued.
2. In the case of study-group sessions with assignments, the student must attend at least 80% of the study-group sessions. Should the student attend less than 80%, he/she must redo the study group, or the Examinations Board may have one or more supplementary assignments issued.
3. The student must attend 80% of the teaching per study unit of the mandatory courses, entry courses and specialisation courses.

Assessment

Assignments

The following assignments are discussed in this course:

•   Weekly assignment 1: Is music merely "Auditory cheesecake"?
•   Weekly assignment 2: Rhythm and beat cognition
•   Weekly assignment 3: Pitch and melody cognition
•   Weekly assignment 4: Music and Language
•   Weekly assignment 5: How useful is music for health and cognition?

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.uva.nl/plagiarism

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Course uses Blackboard for all info, studymaterial, assignments, etc.

Last year's course evaluation

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student evaluations to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. B.G. Schultz

Staff

• dr. F.L. Bouwer PhD

Note: Please do not contact Henkjan Honing as he will be unavailable during this period unless you are informed otherwise.