Laura G. Dorow

Music Listening Preferences of Elementary School Children

Nonverbal tests using an episodic reinforcement device were conducted to ascertain the music preferences of children in elementary grade levels. The tests also provided data on listening attention span in these grades. Results indicated a growing preference for rock music over nonrock music with advancing grade level, with a critical change observable between third and fourth grade levels

The Effect of Teacher Approval/ Disapproval Ratios on Student Music Selection and Concert Attentiveness

An application of learning theory to the study of music teacher behavior was made in order to obtain evidence regarding student music selection behavior and concert attentiveness as influenced by ratios of teacher approval to disapproval. Seventy-six fourth- and fifth-grade students were pretested and posttested. The number of seconds subjects selected from three sound contingencies (piano music, rock music, and white noise) on an episodic reinforcement device and student off-task concert behaviors were measured. Subjects were taught piano excerpts under teacher high and low approval/disapproval conditions. Approval ratios were controlled by hand signals (approval/disapproval cues) given to the teacher at predetermined time intervals.

Effect of Music Via Television as Reinforcement for Correct Mathematics

The purpose of this study was to determine if music lessons presented via television could effect a subject matter music score gain while also functioning as reinforcement for correct academic responses. An entire first grade served as subjects divided in four groups: (1) Televised music lessons contingent upon correct math responses; (2) Partial contingency of televised music lessons for correct math responses; (3) Contact control; and (4) No-contact control. Results indicated that correct math scores increased as a function of the televised contingency for subjects who were reinforced for correct academic responses, while correct responses did not increase for the control groups. More importantly, subjects evidenced a significant music subject matter gain in direct relationship to their music lesson viewing participation. This study suggests that learning contingencies can be designed that offer a learning gain in both the subject matter used as reward and the subject matter that it is intended to reinforce.