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Genetic influences on musical specialization: a twin study on the choice of instrument and music genre
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4th Oct 2019
Genetic influences on musical specialization: a twin study on the choice of instrument and music genre
Human music is indeed an assorted phenomenon that shows different music characteristics differing in numerous parameters such as instruments used; scales; melodic, harmonic as well as rhythmic conventions. Mosing and Ullen´ have conducted a twin study to understand the link between choices of the instrument, music categories and their inheritance. Many researchers have already shown the effect of genetic factors on an individual's musical commitment, capacity, and accomplishment. For instance, different studies established a link between music-related traits and significant genetic influences on these traits. However, no research had investigated the heritability of choice of instruments.
Mosing and Ullen had tried to fill this research gap and conducted a large twin cohort study. Nearly 10, 000 Swedish twins were part of this research which provided their responses for the extensive questionnaire. The data was gathered in the 2012 and 2013 web survey and was approved by the Regional Ethics Review Board in Stockholm. On the whole, there were, 11,543 twins participated in a survey of ages between 27 and 54 . Then to avoid potential confounding as a result of sex differences, opposite-sex twin pairs (Npairs = 370) were excluded from the research.
Questions were mostly related to musical traits, instruments, and genre that these twins had played and participant's informed consent was taken. In that open questionnaire, people were asked to tell about their instrument choice without any hesitation. However, they were restricted to the choice of instrument to choose only one. The results showed the use of 45 different instruments that were being used for the song, choir, and whistling. Based on these results, researchers classified the instruments into different categories such as bowed and plucked, voice keyboard, woodwind, brass as well as percussion. Moreover, there were also questions about music genres and participants were asked to choose different options; classical Western art music, modern Western art music, jazz music, and pop/rock. They had to give their responses for different periods in their lives; 0–5 years, 6–11 years, 12–17 years, and 18 years old until presence . This research found three variables for music genre; art music genre, Jazz genre, and modern genre. Art music genre category has those people who once in their life had played any of the two types of Western art music. On the other hand, the Jazz genre were people who in their lives had played Jazz music. Lastly, the modern genre was those individuals who had gone for pop/rock or folk music.
Furthermore, within this research, twins were also interrogated for their main inspiration related to the choice of instrument. Hence, twins came with different responses such as myself, parent, friend, and teacher. Results showed 1259 identical gender twins playing the same instrument or singing. Overall, the odds ratios showed expressively higher ratios for identical twins showing the same kind of music-related behaviors. N=348 twins selected the main instrument themselves while others retorted for another persona such as their parent. Thus, the results showed the momentous genetic effects in music specialization. All these responses were then statistically analyzed using logistic or linear regression with zygosity type (MZ/DZ) as the independent variable. The dependent variables were numerous instrument categories and genres as well as sex and age.
The present study is successfully covering the research gap and investigating the heritability of choice of instruments. The data used in this research is web-based self-report, and there are chances of biasness. Conversely, this would not have a large effect on the main variables, and these findings can be used for the analysis of imaging studies of the neural associates of musical specialty. Moreover, the use of co-twin control design is allowing further judgment of effects on regional neuroanatomical as a result of proper music training. In this way, genetic factors on music and their effects can be controlled. In addition, the research has reasonably used two mechanisms for the research; environment correlation and psychological modality. Environment correlation tends to suggest the active role of the environment on the music traits of twins. Similarly, the psychological modality has taken into account the personality which intervenes with these associations.
On the one hand, this research is an effective addition in studying the association of genes and music traits. However, there can be seen the violation of the equal environment assumption (EEA) while conducting this study. MZ twins are supposed to contribute all their genes, while DZ twins, on the other hand, can be seen segregating nearly 50% of their genes. Thus, it is subjective to assume the same environments for both groups . Due to the use of a higher concordance rate in MZ twins, the possibility of an effect of environmental factors and others can be ignored. The study was specifically checking the presence of higher MZ than DZ concordance for instrument choice. Researchers have effectively reiterated twin pairs individually, one for twins who had made a section of instrument themselves, and for twin pairs who were under the influence of someone else regarding the choice. The results clearly showed the higher value of the concordant of MZ twins in comparison with the concordant value of DZ twins for instrument choice as well as instrument type.
Therefore, we can ascertain genetic effects concerning instrument and genre choice on account of variances in personality, cognitive aptitudes in addition to pertinent physical traits. This research is in step with wider writings proving the effects of genes on different aspects of specialization. The study is also offering vulnerable data for further studies. For instance, one can go for checking the overlapping between instrument choice and different music traits.
Bibliography
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Mosing, Miriam A., and Fredrik Ullén. “Genetic Influences on Musical Specialization: A Twin Study on Choice of Instrument and Music Genre.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1423, no. 1 (2018): 427–34.
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