Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, February 2007.

Bibliografiska uppgifter
Huvudupphovsman: McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman)
Övriga upphovsmän: Edward H. Adelson.
Materialtyp: Lärdomsprov
Språk:eng
Publicerad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2007
Ämnen:
Länkar:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38614
_version_ 1826199718218170368
author McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman)
author2 Edward H. Adelson.
author_facet Edward H. Adelson.
McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman)
author_sort McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman)
collection MIT
description Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, February 2007.
first_indexed 2024-09-23T11:24:36Z
format Thesis
id mit-1721.1/38614
institution Massachusetts Institute of Technology
language eng
last_indexed 2024-09-23T11:24:36Z
publishDate 2007
publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology
record_format dspace
spelling mit-1721.1/386142019-04-10T12:27:49Z Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman) Edward H. Adelson. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, February 2007. Includes bibliographical references. The origins and adaptive significance of music, long an elusive target, are now active topics of empirical study. I argue that empirical results can constrain discussions of the adaptive significance of music by testing whether various musical traits are innate, uniquely human, and specific to music. This thesis extends the body of empirical research along these lines, with a focus on comparative experiments in nonhuman animals. A series of studies in nonhuman primates explores whether they have preferences for sounds that might be related to music perception in humans. A second set of studies explores whether preferences for music can be instantiated in nonhuman animals by exposure to music. One study examines pet dogs, who receive extensive exposure to music courtesy of their owners. Another examines the effect of artificial music exposure on a colony of laboratory monkeys. Although there are a few potential homologies between the human response to music and that of nonhuman animals, the bulk of our results suggest dramatic differences between humans and other species. This leaves open the possibility of uniquely human music-specific capacities that might constitute an adaptation for music. by Joshua H. McDermott. Ph.D. 2007-08-29T20:35:34Z 2007-08-29T20:35:34Z 2006 2007 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38614 156993426 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 129 leaves application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
McDermott, Joshua H. (Joshua Hartman)
Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title_full Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title_fullStr Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title_full_unstemmed Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title_short Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
title_sort empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music
topic Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38614
work_keys_str_mv AT mcdermottjoshuahjoshuahartman empiricalconstraintsontheevolutionaryoriginsofmusic