EMERGENCY! I need help finding information on the Internet!!

oss · Post by **oss** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:22 pm

I'm doing a project about the effect of playing an instrument on your IQ score. But my Science teacher said that I have to clarify more about what about playing an instrument? So I now have 2 options:
1- The effect of the length of time playing an instrument on your IQ score
2- The effect of the type of instrument you play on your IQ score.
Since I couldn't find any specific article talks about these topics, I don't know which one I should choose and how can I get "useful" information on the Internet ???
PS: I tried Yahoo and Google search engine but I didn't turn out really well.
This is due this Saturday by the way.
Thanks a lot

Sareena Avadhany · Post by **Sareena Avadhany** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:56 am

Hi oss,

This is a very interesting topic. I wasn't able to find good hits on Google either. However, have you heard or read news about how listening to classical music increases one's intelligence? If this is so, maybe one can deduce that playing an instrument increases intelligence, thereby inceasing one's IQ score.

As for your two choices, you want to be able to quantify your results. How will you measure option one? I am assuming this is purely statistical data collection, so you will be depending on humans - not the most trusty in giving 100% accurate answers. You probably need to find human subjects that practice the same hours and compare their IQ scores. Then you need to find the same number of subjects that practice more hours, and less hours to define relationships.

My preference would be option 2, because it seems more measurable in terms of collecting data. How many human subjects are you using? For your research part, I would suggest you focus in on the causal connection between classical music and intelligence, and defining this relationship with playing an instrument. Research can also include interviews; maybe you can conduct an interview of a musician, and ask probing questions. Find out qualities that musicians possess: creativity and rhythm. These two are major components of being a musician. Relate it back to your project, in terms of how these qualitities increase brain activity.

Here is a website I found that might help you:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/music.html

Please update on your project; I am very interested in seeing your results!

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Sareena

oss · Post by **oss** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:31 pm

Thanks A LOT for your help.
I also think that the second option is more.....reasonable.
But there're no information that I can find to use in the background section that related to this topic. There are articles about how music and playing instrument effect your brain. But there're none talk about how different type of instrument effect your brain.
So I'm still......need lots of help finding information.
Does anyone know any kind of hint to find good information online ?????
Thanks a bunch

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:45 pm

oss wrote:Thanks A LOT for your help.
I also think that the second option is more.....reasonable.
But there're no information that I can find to use in the background section that related to this topic. There are articles about how music and playing instrument effect your brain. But there're none talk about how different type of instrument effect your brain.
So I'm still......need lots of help finding information.
Does anyone know any kind of hint to find good information online ?????
Thanks a bunch

I think in order to have meaningful statistics you should just compare music vs. no music. First, there is plenty of background info. Second, it is experimentally feasible. Do you really think you can find 20 violin players, 20 piano players, 20 guitar plays to compare different instruments?

Louise

oss · Post by **oss** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:23 pm

Actually I'm playing the piano for my school's Jazz band. Therefore finding about 3 musicians in guitar, piano, or saxophone is not a big deal. But according to my teacher, I need more than 2 level of IV (Independent variable) so I can't do like musicians and non-musicians things.

oss · Post by **oss** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:30 pm

But I now have a question.
Can I use the Free IQ test on the internet to get the IQ score of musicians? Because some people said that it's not a good test since it's free, and therefore it's going to ruin the accuracy of my result.
So are there any way to solve this problem?????

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:54 pm

oss wrote:Actually I'm playing the piano for my school's Jazz band. Therefore finding about 3 musicians in guitar, piano, or saxophone is not a big deal. But according to my teacher, I need more than 2 level of IV (Independent variable) so I can't do like musicians and non-musicians things.

I don't think three groups of three is a statistically meaningful comparison. What if you grouped as: non-musician, novice ( 1-2 years), and advanced (2 or more years). Could you find 10-20 people per group then?

Louise

deleted-71447 · Post by **deleted-71447** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:35 pm

Hi oss,
Interesting project idea. I agree with Louise that 3 students in each group will not be enough. These sorts of studies require large numbers of participants to come up with meaningful results.

It's fine to use a free online IQ test as long as that test meets your experimental needs.

drhamill · Post by **drhamill** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:57 am

Oss,
Neat topic! If you are still looking for resources on a link between music and IQ, I'd encourage you to check out the following three articles written by a Psychology prof in Toronto. For the first, the link is only to an abstract; you may have to go to a college library to see the full text. The link for the 2nd and 3rd articles should take you to the full text. You might find his methodologies as well as his conclusions useful.

1. author: Schellenberg, EG
title: Long-term positive associations between music lessons and IQ
journal: JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (2006) vol 98(2): pp. 457 â€“ 468
http://content.apa.org/journals/edu/98/2/457

2. author: Schellenberg, EG
title: Music and cognitive abilities
journal: CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE (2005). Vol. 14(6): pp. 317-320.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/fu ... 05.00389.x

3. author: Schellenberg, EG
title: Music lessons enhance IQ
journal: PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE (2004). Vol. 15(8 ), pp. 511 - 514
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/pdf/ps/musiciq.pdf
press release on this article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 082332.htm

oss · Post by **oss** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:56 pm

I'm really appreciate your help
Thanks a bunch

Sareena Avadhany · Post by **Sareena Avadhany** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:30 am

Hi oss,

How is your project coming along? What method are you choosing?

Sincerely,
Sareena