Reproduction of Visual and Auditory Rhythm Patterns by Children

Abstract

Developmental patterns in rhythm perception in two modalities were studied. 80 children, aged 5 to 13, were randomly assigned to either the visual or auditory task of reproducing four different rhythm patterns. Analysis was done for modality, age, and the interaction of age with modality. There were pronounced effects of modality on performance and of age on performance, with no interaction between age and modality. Results are compared with those from other studies concerned with time and rhythm perception and are discussed in terms of the developmental implications. The effect of variance within rhythm patterns and between components is also discussed.

The development of rhythm regularity, neuromuscular strategies, and movement smoothness during repetitive reaching in typically developing children

“…The youngest participants, on the other hand, were able to maintain the beat on average but showed substantial variability. This observation is in agreement with the broadly assumed notion of age-related error reduction in rhythmic tapping tasks (Rosenbusch and Gardner, 1968;Smoll, 1974).…”

Rhythmic Ability in Children and the Effects of Age, Sex, and Tempo

“…The development of rhythmic ability is related to the maturing of the central nervous system's basic functions and especially of the time-perception mechanism, while on the other hand, the activation and the judgement dependent upon this mechanism are achieved through practice (Rosenbusch & Gardner, 1968;Martin, et al, 1991;Haskell, 1993;Madison, 2001;Rao, et al, 2001). The individualized dimension of rhythmic ability and its components, as an inherent ability, along with each child's age at training, affect the factor of maturity with respect to rhythmic ability.…”

“…According to the literature (Martin, et dl., 1991;Zachopoulou, Kioumourtzoglou, Itoudis, Mantis, Ghodolias, & Taxildaris, 1998;Zachopoulou, et al, 1999;Derri, Tsapakidou, Zachopoulou, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2001;Zachopoulou, et al, 2003), training is effective with respect to rhythmic ability development only if it emphasizes music and movement programs and not general motor programs. The existence, range, and kind of training affect development and act along with physical development, leading to the activation of the response mechanism to rhythm (Beisman, 1967;Rosenbusch & Gardner, 1968;Smoll, 1974;Smoll, 1975b;Rainbow, 1981;Schleuter & Schleuter, 1985;Haskell, 1993;Kumai & Sugai, 1997;Lucchetti, Caccio, & De Beni, 1997;Derri, Tsapakidou, Zachopoulou, & Gini, 2001). In the present study, the participants' lack of special training offered information on the children's inherent rhythmic ability, highlighting the differentiation by grade only at the slow tempo and especially with respect to rhythmic maintenance.…”

“…The gradual development of motor abilities in the ages of 5 to 9 years (Lehnard, Lehnard, Butterfield, Beckwith, & Marion, 1992) results in larger marginal improvement in motor performance at younger ages (Beisman, 19671, and follows the same developmental pattern as children's rhythmic ability (Smoll, 1975b). Smoll (197513, p. 140) reported that their "findings indicated a significant reduction in the mean constant error in temporal and spatial accuracy with increasing age," a conclusion with which Rosenbusch and Gardner (1968) agreed.…”

“…An additional factor associated with rhythmic ability is age, for which according to Rosenbusch and Gardner (1968), "the time perception mechanism may be functionally as mature at the age of 5 as at the age of 12, but that judgement depending upon this mechanism can be improved considerably as a result of practice" (p. 1275). The gradual development of motor abilities in the ages of 5 to 9 years (Lehnard, Lehnard, Butterfield, Beckwith, & Marion, 1992) results in larger marginal improvement in motor performance at younger ages (Beisman, 19671, and follows the same developmental pattern as children's rhythmic ability (Smoll, 1975b).…”