Bouwer, F.L., Werner, C.M., Knetemann, M., & Honing, H. (2016). Disentangling beat perception from sequential learning and
examining the influence of attention and musical abilities on ERP
responses to rhythm. Neuropsychologia, 85, 80-90. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.02.018
Beat perception is the ability to perceive temporal regularity
in musical rhythm. When a beat is perceived, predictions about upcoming
events can be generated. These predictions can influence processing of
subsequent rhythmic events. However, statistical learning of the order of
sounds in a sequence can also affect processing of rhythmic events and
must be differentiated from beat perception. In the current study, using
EEG, we examined the effects of attention and musical abilities on beat
perception. To ensure we measured beat perception and not absolute
perception of temporal intervals, we used alternating loud and soft tones
to create a rhythm with two hierarchical metrical levels. To control for
sequential learning of the order of the different sounds, we used
temporally regular (isochronous) and jittered rhythmic sequences. The
order of sounds was identical in both conditions, but only the regular
condition allowed for the perception of a beat. Unexpected intensity
decrements were introduced on the beat and offbeat. In the regular
condition, both beat perception and sequential learning were expected to
enhance detection of these deviants on the beat. In the jittered
condition, only sequential learning was expected to affect processing of
the deviants. ERP responses to deviants were larger on the beat than
offbeat in both conditions. Importantly, this difference was larger in
the regular condition than in the jittered condition, suggesting that
beat perception influenced responses to rhythmic events in addition to
sequential learning. The influence of beat perception was present both
with and without attention directed at the rhythm. Moreover, beat
perception as measured with ERPs correlated with musical abilities, but
only when attention was directed at the stimuli. Our study shows that
beat perception is possible when attention is not directed at a rhythm.
In addition, our results suggest that attention may mediate the influence
of musical abilities on beat perception.
Full paper (pdf).
Sound example Regular (mp3) and Jittered (mp3).
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