The Effect of Pretraining Conditions and Age on Pitch Discrimination Ability of Preschool Children

Abstract

This study reports two experiments investigating the effect of three pretraining conditions on the discrimination of select pitch patterns. Condition 1 was based on the principles of differentiation theory, Condition 2 was based on the principles of mediation theory, and Condition 3 served as a control group. Ninety subjects, aged 3, 4, and 5 years, participated in Experiment 1. The dependent variable was an investigator-designed aural discrimination measure, Trials to Criterion, in which subjects had to identify paired pitch patterns as the same or different. Results revealed no significant differences among condition groups but indicated a significant age effect, with 5-year-olds performing better than 3- and 4-year-olds. Experiment 2 was a replication of the same study following a 10-day aural readiness procedure that provided an informal, nonparticipatory exposure for all subjects to the four tonal patterns used in the study. Ninety different subjects, aged 3, 4, and 5 years, participated. Results revealed no significant differences among condition groups but yielded significant differences among all age-groups. An interaction effect revealed that the age 5, Condition 1 and 2 groups scored significantly higher than all other groups.