Jun 02 2009
From Cooing To Music?
Music is a human universal, found in all cultures. I have long been curious how it may have evolved. Thanks to news of recent research found over at EurekaAlert I have learned a couple things.
1. Just as mutual cooing by mother and child can help them forge a relationship, music may have value in terms of fostering social attachment. In more technical terms,
The neurobiology of music perception and production is related to the pathways affecting intrinsic attachment behavior.
What new data did the researchers produce in support of this idea?
To elucidate the neurobiological basis of music in human evolution and communication the researchers demonstrated an association of arginine vasopressin receptor 1A (AVPR1A) gene variants with musical aptitude. In the previous studies the AVPR1A gene and its homologies have been associated with social, emotional and behavioral traits, including pair bonding and parenting.
Verrrrrrrry interesting.
2. When it comes to musical abilities, there is likely a pitched playing field. Yes, practice promotes movement toward personal perfection. But one person’s perfection is another person’s mediocrity. In the same study mentioned above, the researchers explored the heritability of musical talents within multigenerational Finnish families. They found it was significant. Genes accounted for roughly 40% of the variation in the aptitude for composing music, over 60% for aptitude in musical improvisation.
Can I now blame my genes for my inability to carry a tune? Maybe. But more than that, I can probably blame a lack of practice.
