BCSC 260: Lecture Schedule (subject to change)

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Date
Topic
Due: Blackboard, Readings
Unit 1: Introduction; Music and Evolution
01/18
Intro. to Music Cognition
 
01/23
Origins of Music
Thompson, Ch. 2 (suggested);
McDermott & Hauser (2005);hw due
01/25
(For non-science students):
Research Methods + Statistics
Suggested (but optional):
Levitin (1999); Windsor (2004)
Unit 2: The Auditory System, Pitch, and Melody
01/30
Sound & the Auditory System
Thompson, Ch. 3 (suggested)
02/01
Pitch Perception and Related Issues
Schellenberg & Trehub (2003); hw due
02/06
Melody I - Gestalt Principles
(For non-music students): Music Theory Review
Schellenberg et al. (1999); hw due
02/08
Melody II - Memory
Thompson, Ch. 4 (suggested)
 
Midterm Review
Exam review
02/13
Midterm #1
 
Unit 3: Tonality and Meter
02/15
Tonality I: Tonal Hierarchy
Research and Search Engines
Krumhansl & Shepard (1979) - Exp. 1 only; hw due
02/20
Tonality II: Key-Finding and Key Relations
 
02/22
Beat Induction & Meter
Mini paper #1 due (upload to Bb)
02/27
Expectation
 
Unit 4: Music, Brain, and Language
02/29
Brain Structure & Research Methods; Synaesthesia
Thompson, Ch. 6 (suggested)
03/05
Brain Research on Music;
Paper Requirements (APA)
Schlaug (2001); hw due
03/07
Language and Music: Aphasia, Double Dissociation
Patel (2005); hw due
03/19
Exam Review; Academic Honesty
 
03/21
Midterm #2
 
Unit 5: Musical Development and Performance
03/26
Infants I: Testing Methods
Thompson, Ch. 5 (suggested)
03/28
Infants II: Findings in Music Psychology
Hannon & Trehub (2005); hw due
04/02
Music Performance
Thompson, Ch. 9 (suggested)
Mini paper #2 due (upload to Bb)
Unit 6: Effects of Music: Emotion, Well-Being, Therapy
04/04
Emotion I: Theories
Thompson, Ch. 7 (suggested)
04/09
Emotion II: Experimental Findings
 
04/11
Music Liking and Preference
Final paper proposal due (upload to Bb)
04/16
Music and Well-Being
McDermott et al. (2014); hw due
Thompson Ch. 8 (optional)
04/18
Power of Music: “Mozart Effect,” Music and Drugs
Thompson, Ch. 11 (suggested)
Optional: Rauscher et al. (1993)
04/23
Topic TBA (music and long-term memory?)
 
04/25
Exam Review
 
04/30
Midterm #3
 
05/07
 
Final paper due (upload to Bb)