An analysis of factors contributing to sixth-grade students' selective attention to music elements: Melodic contour, timbre, rhythm, and tempo; and variables associated with demographics, self-perception, music background, music genre, and temporal differ

Two research questions were formulated for the present study: (1) Are there significant differences (p ≤ .05) among sixth-grade participants' selective attention to music elements as affected by variables associated with music genre and temporal difference?; and (2) To what extent do the following variables significantly predict (p ≤ .05) sixth-grade participants' selective attention to melodic contour, timbre, rhythm, and tempo: demographics, self-perception, music background, music genre, and temporal difference?;Subjects (N = 87), suburban middle school students from the sixth-grade level within Fulton County Public Schools of Atlanta, Georgia completed the Music Background Questionnaire II, Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA), and the Music Element Profile (MEP) . The first research question was analyzed using a Three-Way Repeated Analysis of Variance. Regarding differences among selective attention to music elements, participants rated rhythm (M = 5.15) significantly higher (p ≤ .01) than melodic contour (M = 4.74), timbre (M = 4.87), or tempo (M = 4.82). Regarding differences among music genre, participants rated rhythm and blues (M = 5.12) significantly higher than jazz ( M = 4.83; p ≤ .05) or classical (M = 4.66; p ≤ .01); participants rated rock (M = 4.98) significantly higher (p ≤ .01) than classical (M = 4.66). Regarding differences between fast and slow tempi, participants did not rate fast tempi (M = 4.94) significantly differently than slow tempos (M = 4.86). A significant two-way interaction effect (p ≤ .05) was found among participants' selective attention for music elements by genre (p = .006). A significant two-way interaction effect (p ≤ .05) was found among sixth-grade students' selective attention for music elements by temporal difference (p = .002). A significant two-way interaction effect (p ≤ .05) was found among sixth-grade students' ratings for music genre by temporal difference (p = .000). No significant three-way interaction effects ( p ≤ .05) were found among sixth-grade students' selective attention for music elements by ratings for music genre and temporal difference.;Data from the MEP, MBQII, SPPA, and from the demographic information were analyzed in four multiple regression procedures, each placing a different music element as the dependent variable. Classical and rock were found to be the best predictors (p ≤ .001) of melodic contour. Fast tempi were found to be the best predictor (p ≤ .001) of timbre. Classical, rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, and fast tempi were found to be the best predictors (p ≤ .05) of rhythm. Jazz and fast tempi were found to be the best predictors (p ≤ .05) of tempo.;From the results of the data analysis of both research questions, conclusions were drawn to provide suggestions for future research.