2016 Gatlinburg Conference Poster
PS-85
Title: Beat Perception and Sociability: Evidence from Williams Syndrome
Authors: Miriam Lense, Elisabeth Dykens
Introduction: Beat perception in music has been proposed to be a human universal that may have its origins in adaptive
processes involving temporal entrainment such as social communication and interaction. We examined beat perception skills in
individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic, neurodevelopmental disorder. Musical interest and hypersociability are two
prominent aspects of the WS phenotype although actual musical and social skills are variable. Prior findings on musical beat
perception skills in WS have been mixed, with some studies reporting preserved skills and others finding impairments in this
area. However, previous studies are limited by their small sample sizes, choice of control groups (for example, age-matched vs.
mental age-matched vs. musical experience-matched controls), and the attentional and working memory demands of their tasks.
We examined individual differences in beat perception abilities in WS and explored how this related to their musical preferences
and social skills.
Methods: Participants included 74 adolescents and adults with WS and 53 age and gender-matched typically developing (TD)
controls. Participants were matched for years and types of musical training, percent of sample with percussion training, and time
spent listening to music. Participants completed two measures of beat perception abilities -- the meter subtest of the Montreal
Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) and the Beat Alignment Test (BAT), both of which assess beat perception abilities using
real music. Participants also completed a test of auditory processing style and a brief IQ test. Parents/caregivers of participants
with WS completed the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, 2nd edition. A subset of 26 individuals with WS completed a
questionnaire of their musical preferences.
Results: Participants with WS performed worse than TD participants on both the MBEA (24.43±5.1 vs. 26.92±3.5) and the BAT (d'
1.4±0.98 vs. 2.17±0.75). However, there was significant individual variability with participants ranging from chance levels to
perfect beat perception abilities in both groups. Item analyses revealed that both WS and TD participants performed better with
songs with faster tempos and a more salient beat. Within the WS group, regression analyses indicated that cognitive abilities,
auditory processing style, and musical training predicted 25.3% and 30.4% of MBEA and BAT scores, respectively. Among the
subset of individuals who completed the musical preference questionnaire, participants had a pronounced preference for
musical styles that had a strong and salient beat. Moreover beat perception skills were related to Vineland-II Socialization skills
(rho's=.34-.42, p<.05) but not to other Vineland-II scales.
Discussion: This is the largest study to date to directly examine beat perception abilities in WS and contextualize these abilities
with respect to cognitive abilities, musical training, and auditory processing style. Compared to other studies that have focused
on musical skills as being preserved in WS, our results reveal that beat perception abilities in WS vary widely, similar to recent
findings in regard to their pitch perception abilities. Results highlight the need to take an individual differences approach to
understanding musical skills in WS. Additionally, these results are the first findings linking beat perception abilities to social
adaptive skills, supporting hypotheses regarding the role of temporal processes in both musical and social tasks and the possible
adaptive value of music. Results also add to previous findings of links between musical and social behaviors in WS within the
domain of emotional processing. Implications for understanding gene-brain-behavior relationships involved in musical and social
engagement will be discussed.
References/Citations:
• Lense, M.D. et al. (2014). (A)musicality in Williams syndrome: Examining relationships among auditory perception,
musical skill, and emotional responsiveness to music. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 525.
• Levitin, DJ & Bellugi, U. (1998). Musical abilities in individuals with Williams syndrome. Music Perception, 15(4), 357389.