Journal of Audiology & Otology

The Korean Audiology Society (대한청각학회)
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Musical Aptitude as a Variable in the Assessment of Working Memory and Selective Attention Tasks

  • Nisha, Kavassery Venkateswaran (Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus) ;
  • Neelamegarajan, Devi (Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus) ;
  • Nayagam, Nishant N. (Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus) ;
  • Winston, Jim Saroj (Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus) ;
  • Anil, Sam Publius (Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus)
  • Received : 2021.03.12
  • Accepted : 2021.07.14
  • Published : 2021.10.20
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Abstract

Background and Objectives: The influence of musical aptitude on cognitive test performance in musicians is a long-debated research question. Evidence points to the low performance of nonmusicians in visual and auditory cognitive tasks (working memory and attention) compared with musicians. This cannot be generalized to all nonmusicians, as a sub-group in this population can have innate musical abilities even without any formal musical training. The present study aimed to study the effect of musical aptitude on the working memory and selective attention. Subjects and Methods: Three groups of 20 individuals each (a total of 60 participants), including trained-musicians, nonmusicians with good musical aptitude, and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude, participated in the present study. Cognitive-based visual (Flanker's selective attention test) and auditory (working memory tests: backward digit span and operation span) tests were administered. Results: MANOVA (followed by ANOVA) revealed a benefit of musicianship and musical aptitude on backward digit span and Flanker's reaction time (p<0.05). Discriminant function analyses showed that the groups could be effectively (accuracy, 80%) segregated based on the backward digit span and Flanker's selective attention test. Trained musicians and nonmusicians with good musical aptitude were distinguished as one cluster and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude formed another cluster, hinting the role of musical aptitude in working memory and selective attention. Conclusions: Nonmusicians with good musical aptitude can have enhanced working memory and selective attention skills like musicians. Hence, caution is required when these individuals are included as controls in cognitive-based visual and auditory experiments.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Director and HOD, Audiology (All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, affiliated to the University of Mysuru) for permitting us to carry out the study. The authors like to thank all the participants of the study for their consent and cooperation during the data collection. This work did not receive any funding or grants.

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