Cross-sectional study on the relationship between music training and working memory in adults

Suárez, Lidia, Elangovan, Shalini, and Au, Agnes (2016) Cross-sectional study on the relationship between music training and working memory in adults. Australian Journal of Psychology, 68 (1). pp. 38-46.

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DOI: 10.1111/ajpy.12087

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12087

Abstract

Learning to play musical instruments has been shown to enhance a wide variety of cognitive domains. The present study investigated the specific aspects of working memory (WM) that differed between adult musicians and non-musicians. Twenty-four musicians and 30 non-musicians matched for age, gender, years of formal education, and verbal intelligence performed several WM tasks. A multivariate analysis of covariance, wherein family income was controlled, revealed that musicians outperformed non-musicians in tasks related to visual–motor coordination, visual scanning ability, visual processing speed, and spatial memory. However, no significant differences were found in phonological and visual memory capacity. This study supports the view that music training is associated to specific (and not general) WM skills.


Item ID:	38123
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1742-9536
Keywords:	executive function, music training, phonological memory, spatial memory, visual memory, working memory
Date Deposited:	08 Sep 2015 00:32
FoR Codes:	52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology > 520401 Cognition @ 50% 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology > 520404 Memory and attention @ 50%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9301 Learner and Learning > 930102 Learner and Learning Processes @ 10% 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970117 Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences @ 90%
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