Music, Science, and the Rhythmic Brain: Cultural and Clinical Implications

Jonathan Berger

ISBN 10: 0415709482 / ISBN 13: 9780415709484

Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2013

About this Item

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Seller Inventory # B9780415709484

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Music, Science, and the Rhythmic Brain: Cultural and Clinical Implications
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415709482
• ISBN 13: 9780415709484
• Binding: Paperback / softback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 375 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book studies the effects of repetitive musical rhythm on the brain and nervous system, and in doing so integrates diverse fields including ethnomusicology, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, religious studies, music therapy, and human health. It presents aspects of musical rhythm and biological rhythms, and in particular rhythmic entrainment, in a way that considers cultural context alongside theoretical research and discussions of potential clinical and therapeutic implications. Considering the effects of drumming and other rhythmic music on mental and bodily functioning, the volume hypothesizes that rhythmic music can have a dramatic impact on mental states, sometimes catalyzing profound changes in arousal, mood, and emotional states via the stimulation of changes in physiological functions like the electrical activity in the brain. The experiments presented here make use of electroencephalography (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and subjective measures to gain insight into how these mental states are evoked, what their relationship is to the music and context of the experience, and demonstrate that they are happening in a consistent and reproducible fashion, suggesting clinical applications. This comprehensive volume will appeal to scholars in cognition, ethnomusicology, and music perception who are interested in the therapeutic potential of music.

About the Author

Jonathan Berger is The Denning Family Provostial Professor, Department of Music, Co-Director of Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts (SiCa), Co-Director of Stanford's Art Initiative, William R. and Gretchen B. Kimball University Fellow in Undergraduate Education.

Gabe Turow is the co-founder of the annual SiCa Center for Arts, Science and Technology's Symposium on Music, Rhythm, and the Brain, and the UCSF Children's Hospital Music Program. He is a professional drummer and sculptor, currently finishing a doctorate in Educational Videogame Design at Columbia University Teachers College.