Advisor
Bright, Kathryn E.
Committee Member
Malde, Melissa
Committee Member
Finan, Donald S.
Committee Member
Stoody, Tina M.
Department
Audiology and Speech-Language Sciences
Institution
University of Northern Colorado
Type of Resources
Text
Place of Publication
Greeley (Colo.)
Publisher
University of Northern Colorado
Date Created
5-1-2014
Genre
Thesis
Extent
73 pages
Digital Origin
Born digital
Abstract
A group of classically trained musicians and a group of non-musicians were compared using psychophysical tasks of pitch perception to determine the effect of musical training on the auditory mechanism. Two measurements, frequency difference limens (DLFs) and psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were gathered for each subject at four frequencies in each ear separately. Results indicated a significant difference between musicians and non-musicians at three frequencies for DLF measures, and no significant findings regarding PTC measurements. These findings reveal a significant musical training effect on DLF outcomes, while the effect of musical training on PTCs, if any, remains to be determined. Implications of this study support changes in measureable auditory skills resulting from auditory training through music, and suggest that the frequency selectivity at the level of the cochlea is different between musicians and non-musicians. Additional studies are needed to demonstrate auditory differences between musicians and non-musicians using other psychophysical measurements beyond DLFs.
Degree type
AuD
Degree Name
Doctoral
Language
English
Local Identifiers
Powner_unco_0161D_10272
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by author.
