Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Casto, Kathleen
Area of Concentration
Biopsychology
Abstract
In an attempt to replicate past research on the effect of musical experience on the brain, this study employs functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure cortical activity in musicians and non-musicians when actively and passively listening to music. I hypothesized that musicians would have higher activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPCF) and auditory cortex than non-musicians in the active listening, but not passive listening condition. This hypothesis was supported, with results showed that musicians showed an overall pattern of deactivation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the auditory cortex. However, these results contradict many previously accepted findings in the musical neuroscience field, while validating many others. Although it is well known that musical study has an impact on brain activity patterns, the exact extent to which musical experience can change the brain, or short-term listening to music can impact cognition, is fraught with misinformation. Many misconceptions about music run rampant throughout our modern culture, and it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. It is important to critically examine the effect to which the results of this and many other studies in the field of music neuroscience have been impacted by confounding variables and over-generalization, and discuss how to move forward with similar research in the future.
Recommended Citation
Schenck, Emily, "Prefrontal and Auditory Cortex Activity During Music Listening in Musicians Compared to Non-Musicians" (2021). Theses & ETDs. 6135.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/6135