| Themes > Arts > Music > Developmental Effects of Music > Music Improves Reasoning in Preschool Children |
| The hypothesis that music training significantly and specifically enhances spatial-temporal reasoning in young children has recently found strong support. Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Wright, Dennis and Newcomb (Neurological Research, 1996, in press) studied 78 children (3-4 years old) divided into three groups. Thirty four children received private piano keyboard lessons, 20 received equally frequent private computer lessons and 24 served as other controls, receiving either singing lessons (n=10) or no special lessons (n=14) for six months. Four standard, age calibrated, spatial reasoning tests were given before and after training; one test measured spatial-temporal reasoning and three tests assessed spatial recognition. Post-treatment test scores showed a significant improvement on the spatial-temporal test only for the keyboard group. No group improved significantly on the spatial recognition tests. That the computer group showed no effect provides a control for extra attention, involvement, etc. The authors suggest that the improvement in spatial reasoning may be related to the linear spatial layout of the keyboard. They propose that keyboard training may enhance the learning of standard subjects, such as mathematics and science, in which spatial-temporal reasoning is particularly important. |
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