A Criterion-Related Validity Test of Selected Indicators of Musical Sophistication Using Expert Ratings
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A CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY TEST OF SELECTED INDICATORS OF MUSICAL SOPHISTICATION USING EXPERT RATINGS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Joy E. Ollen, M.A. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2006 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor David Huron, Adviser Professor David Butler ____________________________________ Professor R. J. David Frego Adviser School of Music Professor Joseph Gliem Copyright by Joy Elaine Ollen 2006 ABSTRACT Music researchers regularly test the hypothesis that participants will respond differently based upon their levels of musical sophistication. Circumstances may not permit any extensive pre-testing and researchers often select or group participants according to their answers to simple survey-type questions related to their musical background. A number of these indicators have been criticized as being inadequate; yet, to date, their validity has remained untested. The goal of this dissertation was to test the validity of selected indicators, using expert ratings as the criterion variable, and to compile a short questionnaire that researchers may use to classify research participants as either more or less musically sophisticated. To that end, three survey projects were conducted. The first project sampled 743 music studies published between 1928 and 2004 in order to obtain information about how researchers were measuring musical sophistication. Two of the most commonly used indicators were “Formal musical training” (e.g., years of private lessons) and “Year or level in a formal music program” (e.g., music or non-music major). However, 38 different categories of indicators were identified in the sample and were used in 173 unique ways—either singly or in combination. The second project sampled 27 experienced musicians using a web-based questionnaire in order to discover their suggestions for gauging musical sophistication. Seventy-four percent of the musicians’ suggestions fit into 17 of the 38 categories identified in the previous project. The remaining suggestions were grouped into four new categories, three of which were selected for testing in the third and final project. ii For the third project, 29 indicators from the previous two studies were selected and developed by this author into a 36-item questionnaire. It was administered to a sample of 633 adults who belonged to various types of groups involved in music-related behaviors, ranging from introductory university music classes for non-majors to professional orchestras. The leader of each group (a music expert) provided a rating of every member’s level of musical sophistication using a 10-point scale. When the expert ratings were blocked into two categories labeled less and more musically sophisticated, and the data were analyzed using logistic regression, a significant model using nine indicators emerged (model chi-square = 296.133, df = 32, p < .001). The model was able to classify 79.5% of the sample accurately. The nine indicators form the Ollen Musical Sophistication Index, a ten-item questionnaire presented in the final chapter of this dissertation. iii Dedicated to Dr. David Butler iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The pursuit of this particular dissertation topic required the input and participation of many individuals—the magnitude of which was daunting to me. Looking back, I am truly blessed to have met so many interested, supportive and generous people. To Dr. David Huron, my adviser: Thanks for your unabashed enthusiasm for music cognition and all things related to its study and for your staggering breadth of knowledge and expertise in the field and beyond. Most importantly, thanks for sharing so much of yourself and your time with me; the opportunities to learn and grow as a result of working with you remain unparalleled. To Dr. David Butler: Words really can’t express how much your wisdom, guidance, support, availability and encouragement throughout my entire degree have meant to me. This dissertation is a result of our conversations and so it is only fitting that the many words contained herein be dedicated to you as a token of my gratitude. To Dr. David Frego: Thanks for being an inspiring model of outstanding teaching and musicianship. I count it an honor to have been able to learn from you. To Dr. Joe Gliem and Dr. Larry Miller: Thank you for your dedication to teaching research methodology and statistics both inside and outside of the class. Your willingness to engage with my research project and offer advice has been a gift. To Dr. Pat Flowers and Dr. Zohar Eitan: Thank you for contributing key references early on in the project and for your continued support and encouragement. A HUGE round of thanks go to the following technological wizards: Rebecca Fiebrink, for your design and superlative management of the musicians’ web survey; Doug MacKechnie at SPSS Technical Support; and Doug Reeder, for putting the Ollen Musical Sophistication Index online. To Dr. Freya Bailes: Thank you for not only offering to help me in any way, but v actually doing it by being a field-tester, participant recruiter, question-writer, data collector and cheer leader. (I might have missed something…) You are a true friend! To Dr. Erika Schulte: It was good to share so many things with you…doctoral downs (and ups!), Dalcroze class, visits to Trader Joe’s and a passion for rice pudding! To John Glofcheskie: Thank you for being a great colleague and loyal friend. Thanks to those daring folk who served as field and pilot testers including: Kevin Barrington-Foote, Mark Baruth, Eric Berg, Beth Braun, Peter Burnett, Dr. Kim Councill, Reuben Councill, Nora Graham, Shirley Hargreaves, Jessica Hiebert, Dr. Brian Luke, Rowina Phare, Dr. Angela Post, Julie Stobbe, and Dr. Joshua Veltman. Warm thanks to all my kind and generous survey participants. Without you, there would be nothing to report! A special thanks to those group leaders who believed that what I was doing was important and graciously gave up valuable class or rehearsal time to allow me to collect data. To Barb Huneke: Thank you for adopting me as your Canadian daughter! Phil’s and your friendship during our time together in Ohio helped me keep perspective that there’s more to life than doctoral studies. To my beloved family: I could not ask for more love. Mom, for your amazing faith, both in God and in me. Thank you for all your prayers and support. Mavis, for your undying zeal, imaginative recruiting ideas and steadfast support. Ken and Ruth, Emily, Joel and Seth, for loving me as the strange sister and aunt that I am and for helping with recruitment for my last survey project. And finally, to my darling husband, Charlie: we both work hard to keep each other’s lives from becoming dull! Thank you for coming along with me on this adventure and smiling even when it got tough. Thank you for understanding my drive for perfection and for making sure I always got my vegetables! vi VITA 1991 B. Mus., Music Theory The University of British Columbia 1991 - 1998 Private Piano and Music Theory Instructor 1992 – 1994 Graduate Teaching Assistant The University of British Columbia 1995 M.A., Music Theory The University of British Columbia 1996 – present Music Faculty Member Douglas College 2001 – 2002 Graduate Teaching Associate The Ohio State University PUBLICATIONS Ollen, J. (2006). A criterion-related validity test of selected indicators of musical sophistication using expert ratings. In M. Baroni, A. R. Addessi, R. Caterina, & M. Costa (Eds.), Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition (pp. 690-696). Bologna, Italy: Bononia University Press. Ollen, J. & Huron, D. (2004). Listener preferences and early repetition in musical form. In S. Lipscomb, R. Ashley, R. O. Gjerdingen, & P. Webster (Eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition (pp. 405- 407). Evanston, IL: Causal Productions. Huron, D. & Ollen, J. (2003). Agogic contrast in French and English themes: Further support for Patel and Daniele (2003). Music Perception, 21, 269-273. vii Ollen, J. (2003). Think-Pair-Square applied to a review session. In J. L. Cooper, P. Robinson & D. Ball (Eds.), Small group instruction in higher education: Lessons from the past, visions of the future (pp. 106-111). Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press. (Reprinted from Cooperative Learning and College Teaching, 6(2), 1996). FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Music Minor Field: Research Methodology viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….. ii Dedication………………………………………………………………………….. iv Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………….. v Vita…………………………………………………………………………………. vii List of Tables……………………………………………………………………….. xii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………… xiv Chapters: 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………..…... 1 Overview of the Problem……………………………………………………. 1 Musical Sophistication Versus Musical Ability…………………………….. 4 Issues of Measurement………………………………………………………. 5 Need for the Study…………………………………………………………... 6 Goal of the Study……………………………………………………………. 7 Implications………………………………………………………………….. 8 Limitations…………………………………………………………………... 8 Chapter Summary…………………………………………………….……… 9 2. Survey of Music Research Literature………………………………….…… 11 Research Questions………………………………………………………… 12 Method……………………………………………………………………... 12 Sample……………………………………………………………… 13 Data Collection Procedures………………………………………… 16 Results……………………………………………………………………… 22 Analyses Performed on All