From Tones to Tunes: Emerging Associations Between Tonal Language Immersion Education and Musical Pitch Perception in Children.
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| Title: | From Tones to Tunes: Emerging Associations Between Tonal Language Immersion Education and Musical Pitch Perception in Children. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Jordan, Tessa M. (AUTHOR), Wang, Ying (AUTHOR), Swets, Benjamin (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Developmental Science. May2026, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p1-16. 16p. |
| Subjects: | Musical pitch, Immersion method (Language teaching), Multilingual education, Bilingual education, School children, Short-term memory, Absolute pitch, Transfer of training |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | This study investigated perceptual near transfer across the domains of language and music by examining how early exposure to a tonal language influences musical pitch perception in young children. Previous research has found a tonal language advantage in musical pitch perception in children, but this work often does not account for cultural and cognitive differences among participants. To address this, we compared musical pitch perception of U.S. kindergarten and 1st grade children enrolled in Mandarin immersion education to their peers in traditional English‐only education at the same school. This design allowed us to assess the emergent effects of early tonal language exposure on musical pitch perception with a culturally similar comparison group. Inclusion of a working memory measure provided the ability to account for cognitive differences as well. Results indicated that children enrolled in Mandarin‐immersion education demonstrated higher Mandarin lexical tone discrimination accuracy and greater musical pitch sensitivity relative to their peers in traditional English‐only education, even when differences in working memory were controlled for. Critically, mediation analyses showed that lexical tone accuracy for the most discernable condition statistically mediated the association between immersion education and musical pitch sensitivity. These results provide support for language‐to‐music perceptual transfer grounded in shared pitch‐processing and highlight the potential of tonal language immersion education to enhance perceptual abilities that benefit learning music. Summary: Compared musical pitch perception of young US children enrolled in Mandarin‐language immersion education to their peers enrolled in English‐only education at the same school.Mandarin‐immersion education is associated with children's enhanced ability to discriminate musical pitch, even when differences in working memory are controlled for.Mediation analyses revealed lexical tone accuracy for the most discernable trials mediated the relationship between immersion education and musical pitch sensitivity.These results provide support for language‐to‐music perceptual near transfer, grounded in shared pitch‐processing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Developmental Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193279668 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: From Tones to Tunes: Emerging Associations Between Tonal Language Immersion Education and Musical Pitch Perception in Children. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jordan%2C+Tessa+M%2E%22">Jordan, Tessa M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Ying%22">Wang, Ying</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Swets%2C+Benjamin%22">Swets, Benjamin</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Developmental+Science%22">Developmental Science</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p1-16. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Musical+pitch%22">Musical pitch</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immersion+method+%28Language+teaching%29%22">Immersion method (Language teaching)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingual+education%22">Multilingual education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingual+education%22">Bilingual education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+children%22">School children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short-term+memory%22">Short-term memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Absolute+pitch%22">Absolute pitch</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transfer+of+training%22">Transfer of training</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This study investigated perceptual near transfer across the domains of language and music by examining how early exposure to a tonal language influences musical pitch perception in young children. Previous research has found a tonal language advantage in musical pitch perception in children, but this work often does not account for cultural and cognitive differences among participants. To address this, we compared musical pitch perception of U.S. kindergarten and 1st grade children enrolled in Mandarin immersion education to their peers in traditional English‐only education at the same school. This design allowed us to assess the emergent effects of early tonal language exposure on musical pitch perception with a culturally similar comparison group. Inclusion of a working memory measure provided the ability to account for cognitive differences as well. Results indicated that children enrolled in Mandarin‐immersion education demonstrated higher Mandarin lexical tone discrimination accuracy and greater musical pitch sensitivity relative to their peers in traditional English‐only education, even when differences in working memory were controlled for. Critically, mediation analyses showed that lexical tone accuracy for the most discernable condition statistically mediated the association between immersion education and musical pitch sensitivity. These results provide support for language‐to‐music perceptual transfer grounded in shared pitch‐processing and highlight the potential of tonal language immersion education to enhance perceptual abilities that benefit learning music. Summary: Compared musical pitch perception of young US children enrolled in Mandarin‐language immersion education to their peers enrolled in English‐only education at the same school.Mandarin‐immersion education is associated with children's enhanced ability to discriminate musical pitch, even when differences in working memory are controlled for.Mediation analyses revealed lexical tone accuracy for the most discernable trials mediated the relationship between immersion education and musical pitch sensitivity.These results provide support for language‐to‐music perceptual near transfer, grounded in shared pitch‐processing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Developmental Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/desc.70201 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Musical pitch Type: general – SubjectFull: Immersion method (Language teaching) Type: general – SubjectFull: Multilingual education Type: general – SubjectFull: Bilingual education Type: general – SubjectFull: School children Type: general – SubjectFull: Short-term memory Type: general – SubjectFull: Absolute pitch Type: general – SubjectFull: Transfer of training Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: From Tones to Tunes: Emerging Associations Between Tonal Language Immersion Education and Musical Pitch Perception in Children. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jordan, Tessa M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wang, Ying – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Swets, Benjamin IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1363755X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 29 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Developmental Science Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
