Development

Abstract

Many people describe being musical as a dream that was never realistically attainable because they were not born with the innate talent required. Is this true or can all people become musical? How can they—and their parents and teachers—know if they have “what it takes” to become a musician? These are the kinds of questions addressed by developmental psychology. This chapter explains foundational principles of human music development. It shows that human beings are essentially “hardwired” to be musical, and that there is a predictable progression in which children typically develop musical abilities. Through a combination of factors related to enculturation (informal musical experiences) and education, people develop to a great variety of musical ability levels. The experiences and education received as a child can be very consequential in determining the level of musicality a person will enjoy throughout life.