Psychology of Music

In Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance (2nd edition), the authors consider music on a broad scale, from its beginning as an acoustical signal to its different manifestations across cultures. In their second edition, the authors apply the same richness of depth and scope that was a hallmark of the first edition of this text. In addition, having laid out the topography of the field in the original book, the second edition puts greater emphasis on linking academic learning to real-world contexts, and on including compelling topics that appeal to students’ natural curiosity. Chapters have been updated with approximately 500 new citations to reflect advances in the field.

The organization of the book remains the same as the first edition, while chapters have been updated and often expanded with new topics. 'Part I: Foundations' explores the acoustics of sound, the auditory system, and responses to music in the brain. 'Part II: The Perception and Cognition of Music' focuses on how we process pitch, melody, meter, rhythm, and musical structure. 'Part III: Development, Learning, and Performance' describes how musical capacities and skills unfold, beginning before birth and extending to the advanced and expert musician. And finally, 'Part IV: The Meaning and Significance of Music' explores social, emotional, philosophical and cultural dimensions of music and meaning.

This book will be invaluable to undergraduates and postgraduate students in psychology and music, and will appeal to anyone who is interested in the vital and expanding field of psychology of music.

Dr. Siu-Lan Tan is A.B Stone Professor of Psychology at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, USA. She completed degrees in Music at Pacific Union College, graduate studies at Oxford University, and a PhD in Psychology at Georgetown University. Her research focuses on musical form, music notation, and film music, and she plays piano. She is primary editor of The Psychology of Music in Multimedia, and appears in Score: A Film Music Documentary.

Peter Pfordresher is Professor of Psychology at SUNY Buffalo in New York State, USA. He completed his PhD in Psychology at the Ohio State University. His research on the relationship between perception and action in music has been published in psychology, music cognition, and music education journals, and has received support from the National Science Foundation. He sings and plays piano, guitar, and the trumpet.

Rom Harré is Emeritus Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford University, UK. He was Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University, and Director of the Centre for the Philosophy of the Natural and Social Sciences at the London School of Economics.