Presentation Information
[O9-04]Ontogeny of rhythmic performances and contribution of motor and perceptual rhythmic preferences
*Pier-Alexandre Rioux1, Nicola Thibault1,2, Daniel Fortin-Guichard3, Émilie Cloutier-Debaque4, Simon Grondin1 (1. Laval University (Canada), 2. CERVO, Brain Research Center (Canada), 3. McGill University (Canada), 4. University of Montreal Hospital Center (Canada))
Keywords:
Rhythm,Preferred Tempo,Entrainment,Development
According to the entrainment region hypothesis, the range of tempi with which individuals can synchronize broadens during childhood. This developmental change is accompanied by a slowing of rhythmic preferences, as covered by the preferred period hypothesis. The later hypothesis posits that both motor and perceptual rhythmic preferences slow down throughout childhood, reflecting an increase in the common period of endogenous oscillations. This study aimed to provide a developmental profile of rhythmic performances (counting and tempo discrimination), while investigating the related contributions of a preferred period (spontaneous motor tempo and perceptual preferred tempo). The study (N = 70) included three groups of children (5-6, 8-9, and 11-12 years) and one group of young adults (21-30 years), all tested at the same time of day. The results show a change in rhythmic performances between the ages of 8-9 and 11-12, as well as a variable contribution of rhythmic preferences, depending on the task employed. Moreover, results indicate a significant effect of rhythmic context in tempo discrimination, suggesting that young children can discriminate tempi slower than their rhythmic preferences. This study nuances the bias of rhythmic performance towards rhythmic preferences, notably because the tasks employed to measure rhythmic performance indicate different developmental trajectories, in addition to varying in their relationships to rhythmic preferences. It is suggested that the cognitive demands relative to the task employed to measure rhythmic performances could underlie developmental differences and mask biases towards rhythmic preferences, particularly in younger children.