The Role of Embodiment in the Perception of Music

Abstract

In this paper, we present recent and on-going research in the field of embodied music cognition, with a focus on studies conducted at IPEM, the research laboratory in systematic musicology at Ghent University, Belgium. Attention is devoted to encoding/decoding principles underlying musical expressiveness, synchronization and entrainment, and action-based effects on music perception. The discussed empirical findings demonstrate that embodiment is only one component in an interconnected network of sensory, motor, affective, and cognitive systems involved in music perception. Currently, these findings drive embodiment theory towards a more dynamical approach in which the interaction between various internal processes and the external environment are of central importance. <br />

Embodied Music Cognition: Trouble Ahead, Trouble Behind

“…Leman and Maes' (2014, p. 237) challenge of establishing the “core role” that a body plays in the “network of cognitive and emotive functions” is as interesting as it is speculative. Consider Maes (2016) proposal for grounding EMC in terms of dynamic systems.…”

“…Briefly summarized, EMC relies upon the hypothesis that embodied sensorimotor engagement is essential to both production and perception of music (Leman, 2008; Leman and Maes, 2014). This hypothesis, while suitable for accommodating different research methods used in empirical musicology (Godøy and Leman, 2010), may be regarded as inherently rather abstract.…”

“…In the light of recent critical accounts on the foundations of embodied approaches to cognition as such (e.g., Goldinger et al, 2016, point out that premises like “perception is influenced by the body” are unacceptably vague), EMC hypothesis begs for further specification. Anticipating it, Leman and Maes (2014) suggested that the process of disambiguating what EMC hypothesis stands for, may take two forms. Firstly, the key would be to show that “embodiment plays a core role in an interconnected network of cognitive and emotive functions” and this network would be “further crucial in affect processing, conceptualization, tool use, and the entire array of functions needed to make sense of music” (Leman and Maes, 2014, p. 237).…”

“…Anticipating it, Leman and Maes (2014) suggested that the process of disambiguating what EMC hypothesis stands for, may take two forms. Firstly, the key would be to show that “embodiment plays a core role in an interconnected network of cognitive and emotive functions” and this network would be “further crucial in affect processing, conceptualization, tool use, and the entire array of functions needed to make sense of music” (Leman and Maes, 2014, p. 237). Second option, which as Leman and Maes (2014, p. 237) suggest “narrows down the perspective in order to find empirical evidence for a specific hypothesis,” would be to show that “the effect of action is essential to making sense of music.” In order to constructively contribute to the development of Leman and Maes' intuitions as to where EMC research should go, in what follows I will consider some challenges that may be of interests to both theoretically and empirically minded researchers.…”

<b>From haptic perception to movement: a phenomenological study on sound and technological mediation in dance pedagogy</b><br />

“…Several researches on this subject have been developed in last years focusing on gesture-sound interactions in technological mediated contexts: gesture's expressivity in relation to emotion (CAMURRI et al, 2008), gesture modeling for interactive sound computing (BEVILACQUA et al, 2012), ecological approach to mapping strategies (MIRANDA et al, 2014), embodiment theory in relation to music perception (LEMAN; JAN MAES, 2015), relation between effort and biosignals in musical performance (TANAKA, 2015). All of these studies seem to agree on the importance of audio technologies as a means to enhance our corporeal awareness.…”