Local Processing Advantage in Musicians: Evidence from Disembedding and Constructional Tasks

Abstract

WHEN PROCESSING MUSIC STIMULI, MOST PEOPLE show a global bias (e.g., Evers et al., 1999). Extensive music training, however, develops both global (Halpern & Bower, 1982) and local (Burton et al., 1989) music processing abilities. Our goal was to determine whether enhancement of musicians' local processing abilities is domain-specific or extends to processing nonmusical, visual stimuli. Musicians outperformed nonmusicians on the Group Embedded Figures Test (Experiment 1) and on Block Design (Experiment 2). Additionally, musicians' ability to copy drawings of physically impossible objects accurately was also superior to that of nonmusicians (Experiment 2). These effects could not be accounted for by group differences in several demographic indicators (age, education, gender, or SES), or (in Experiment 2) in verbal intelligence. The results provide converging evidence that extensive music training is specifically associated with superior visual processing of local details, beyond any benefits it may have on verbal intelligence.

Semantics, Syntax or Neither? A Case for Resolution in the Interpretation of N500 and P600 Responses to Harmonic Incongruities

“…Musicians, whose training, according to the OPERA hypothesis [42], requires and nurtures the development of focused attention, have been shown to have a more local and analytical approach to music processing than non-musicians, who have a more holistic approach [42]–[45]. A more focussed and local approach to music processing means that the chord precluding harmonic resolution could have been perceived by musicians as a new incongruous element, similar to the first incongruous element.…”

Effects of a School-Based Instrumental Music Program on Verbal and Visual Memory in Primary School Children: A Longitudinal Study

“…Although in the investigations referred to so far, no effects on visual memory were found, other studies reported improved visual memory performance for individuals who received music training (Rauscher et al, 1995; Bilhartz et al, 1999; Costa-Giomi, 1999; Hetland, 2000; Brochard et al, 2004; Sluming et al, 2007; Stoesz et al, 2007; Jakobson et al, 2008). …”

Individual differences in dispositional focus of attention predict attentional blink magnitude

“…Indeed, most individuals are particularly susceptible to intrusions of the global stimuli on trials in which they are to report local stimuli (Navon, 1977). Some individuals show a more local bias, however, such as individuals from collectivist cultures (Davidoff, Fonteneau, & Fagot, 2008), musicians (Stoesz, Jakobson, Kilgour, & Lewycky, 2007), individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (Moritz & Wendt, 2006), and individuals with autism (Scherf, Luna, Kimchi, Minshew, & Behrmann, 2008). As such, this task gives a good indication of participants' global or local bias.…”