The Development of Music Expertise: Applications of the Theories of Deliberate Practice and Deliberate Play

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 56-66
Author(s):  
Jackie Lordo

Musicians and athletes share many common traits. Both groups learn a combination of physical and mental skills to attain expert status. In this literature review, I provide a short history of research on expertise development and two models: Bloom’s model of expertise development and the Developmental Model of Sport Participation. The Bloom model categorizes learning activities between combinations of free play and deliberate practice throughout the three stages of development. However, Developmental Model of Sport Participation includes a new category, deliberate play, which combines aspects of play and deliberate practice. Research indicating music learning through deliberate practice, deliberate play, and music play is presented. If students are able to learn through the more enjoyable deliberate play and music play, teachers should consider including these activities to better match developmental stages and potentially improve retention. Implications for future research and music teachers are discussed.

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jacqueline Louise Lordo

For many years, researchers have been investigating how and why certain people develop into experts in a given field. A primary difference between experts and non-experts is how they practice. Experts spend considerable amounts of time in deliberate practice, i.e., an intense, targeted form of practice (Ericsson, 1996), rather than mindless repetition. While this explains expertise in musicians, chess players and medical students (Ericsson, 2008), it does not fully explain the differences among athletes (Starkes, Deakin, Allard, Hodges, and Hayes, 1996). At first, sport psychologists were not able to understand why some athletes were able to change sports and learn the skills for the new sport with less than predicted amounts of deliberate practice. While studying athletes, sport psychologists developed a more comprehensive model to explain athletic expertise by including activities in a new category, deliberate play. The Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP) includes the intense activities of deliberate practice, and the more flexible, play-like activities of deliberate play. Like many other fields, music study requires a great deal of time and effort before a student can progress to expert levels of performance. DMSP has clarified how athletes develop, particularly by accounting for the skills gained before intense, deliberate practice becomes a priority. Research has shown that musicians also gain skills through deliberate practice; however, deliberate play activities have not been considered in a music setting. Given recent advances in research related to the development of expertise in athletes, the purpose of this dissertation was to apply these theories to the development of expertise in musicians, through three studies. The first study is a review of literature pertaining to expertise development and the activities of development. The second study was based on interviews to determine if DMPS and the concept of deliberate play could be applied to expert musicians. Findings from the two studies indicated that DMSP did explain music expertise development, and that a new aspect termed awareness should be added to the model for musicians. The third study was an experiment to investigate the use of deliberate play activities in band classes, carried out with two groups of middle school students. One group of students replaced traditional music scale practice as part of their group warm-up with deliberate play scale games. The second group of students continued to practice their scales using the traditional methods. Each week, the students audio recorded a scale for the researcher. The weekly scale performance scores were compared for accuracy and overall skill level, but there was no difference between groups. Results of a practice behavior and motivation questionnaire indicated that attitudes did not change during the short study. By considering the results of the three papers, I have determined that music deliberate play is an idea relevant to musicans' development, and that students can learn through music deliberate play activities. Although more research is needed to determine how deliberate play functions in a classroom setting, educators should consider using these types of activities because they may be more enjoyable than traditional practice techniques.


Author(s):  
Rafael A.B. Tedesqui ◽  
Lindsay McCardle ◽  
Dora Bartulovic ◽  
Bradley W. Young

Two hallmark criteria are commonly used to determine whether a variable of interest has an impact on sport expertise development: (a) discrimination of performance or skill levels and (b) association with time spent in deliberate practice activities. Our opinion is that there has been warranted criticism of the deliberate practice framework and greater methodological rigour will invigorate survey research in this area. In this paper, we aimed to provide critical perspectives on self-report methods previously used to assess group discrimination and to measure deliberate practice in survey-based work in the context of sport expertise as well as to illustrate steps that could be taken to improve confidence in the validity and reliability of these measures. First, we focus on challenges discriminating between multiple, progressively skilled groups of athletes and outline two strategies: one aimed at improving the validity of skill grouping using standardized performance measures, and another illustrating how researchers can assess variability within skill levels. Second, we highlight challenges in measuring deliberate practice activities and propose a funnel method of narrowing athletes’ estimates from general sport activity to highly individualized, purposeful practice. We argue more attention is needed on the development of self-report methods and measurements to reliably and validly assess sport expertise development.


Author(s):  
Tsz Lun (Alan) Chu ◽  
Bailey Sommerfeld ◽  
Tao Zhang

Building on recent research examining athlete burnout trajectories, this study implemented the developmental model of sport participation to compare emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation between age groups (specializing [aged 13–15 years] vs. investment [aged 16–18 years]) and gender (boys vs. girls) among U.S. high school athletes. Participants were 367 high school athletes (M = 15.53; 212 males; 186 specializing) across various individual and team sports who completed a survey assessing their demographic information, sport backgrounds, and burnout perceptions. A 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for training hours, showed greater emotional and physical exhaustion and sport devaluation in the investment than the specializing group, but no developmental differences in reduced sense of accomplishment. Contrary to our hypothesis, no gender or interaction effects were found. Findings inform interventions and future research that address the role of developmental stages and gender in athlete burnout.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Richard J. Buning ◽  
Cassie Coble ◽  
Shannon Kerwin

The current study explores youth sport participation by examining the factors perceived to influence youth sampling and specialization in a niche sport. Further, the role of parental influence was examined as a contributing factor to youth sport progression. In-person semi-structured interviews were performed with 18 youth target archery participants and their parents (N = 28). Data analysis revealed target archery may provide a unique context that enhances previously agreed upon perceptions of sampling and specializing within youth sport development. The youth participants’ experiences with target archery were found to both confirm and challenge previous conceptions of the deliberate play and practice framework, while parental influence was largely based on opinion and prior experience. Based on these findings, theoretical contributions, suggestions for future research, and practical implications are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
David I. Anderson ◽  
Anthony M. Mayo

This paper examines the costs and benefits of early specialization in sport from a skill acquisition perspective. The focus is on whether early specialization in a single sport is the best way to facilitate the acquisition of skill in that sport. The paper is organized relative to the two major conceptual frameworks that have motivated much of the discussion about early specialization in sport: the theory of deliberate practice and the Developmental Model of Sport Participation. Our analysis reveals that while early specialization in sport is one way to reach elite status, it is not the only way. Considerable evidence shows that many elite athletes specialized in their sport late, following diversified experiences with other sports. These findings raise a number of exciting questions about the long-term development of skill in sport.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1271.1-1272
Author(s):  
S. Derham ◽  
J. Lewis ◽  
E. Dures ◽  
F. Cramp

Background:Adults with fibromyalgia frequently report symptoms of cognitive dysfunction, often referred to as fibrofog. However primary research exploring cognitive dysfunction in the lives of adults with fibromyalgia is very limited (Kravitz and Katz, 2015).Objectives:The aim of this review was to (i) synthesise the qualitative literature on the lived experiences of cognitive dysfunction in adults with fibromyalgia, (ii) develop common themes through thematic analysis and (iii) identify knowledge gaps to inform future research and clinical practice in this area.Methods:Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Amed, Scopus and OpenGrey), reference lists of key articles and two high impact qualitative journals were searched from 1990 to November 2018. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported primary qualitative data exploring the experiences of cognitive dysfunction in adults with fibromyalgia. Included studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative checklist and extracted data analysed using narrative synthesis. SD conducted critical appraisal and data extraction on all included studies. FC, JL and ED reviewed five papers each. All papers were reviewed by two co-authors. Of the 1413 records identified, 15 studies were selected for inclusion.Results:These studies included 208 women and 22 men with fibromyalgia, aged 18 to 72 years and representing seven different countries. Duration of diagnosis was four months to 34 years. Fourteen studies used interviews and one used focus groups. None of the included studies focussed exclusively on cognitive function in adults with fibromyalgia. Three studies identified themes specific to cognitive dysfunction and fibromyalgia symptoms. The remaining 12 studies presented relevant data intertwined with the overall lived experiences of fibromyalgia.Cognitive dysfunction, as a part of fibromyalgia, was often unpredictable. Problems with memory and concentration that were most commonly reported were emotionally distressing and affected functional and vocational activities. Participants found communication effortful, with a negative impact on work, leisure and social activities. Stress, fear and worry around perceived cognitive changes were commonly expressed. Lost employment or changed work roles and relationships, due to cognitive difficulties, had negative impacts for many participants. The terms cognitive dysfunction and fibrofog were used interchangeably within the studies, but lacked common definition. This introduced uncertainty around whether participants and authors were describing the same phenomenon.Conclusion:Adults with fibromyalgia experience unpredictable and emotionally impactful difficulties related to cognitive dysfunction. Functional impact was broad-reaching, particularly around work ability and lost employment opportunities. It is unclear how cognitive symptoms in fibromyalgia related to co-morbid symptoms such as pain, fatigue and poor sleep. Further research focusing on the full impact of cognitive function on the lives of adults with fibromyalgia is recommended to inform clinical practice. Research to establish clarity of definition of the terms cognitive dysfunction and fibrofog within fibromyalgia is highly recommended.References:[1]Kravitz H, Katz R. Fibrofog and fibromyalgia: a narrative review and implications for clinical practice. Rheumatology International. 2015;35(7):1115-25.Acknowledgments:This work is supported by the National Institute for Heath Research [ICA-PCAF-2018-01-078 to SD]Disclosure of Interests:Sandra Derham: None declared, Jenny Lewis: None declared, Emma Dures Grant/research support from: Independent Learning Grant from Pfizer, combined funding for a research fellow from Celgene, Abbvie and Novartis, Paid instructor for: A fee from Novartis to deliver training to nurses., Fiona Cramp: None declared


Author(s):  
Seiyeong Park ◽  
Junhye Kwon ◽  
Chiyoung Ahn ◽  
Hae-Sung Cho ◽  
Hyo Youl Moon ◽  
...  

Previous studies have identified that a behavior can occur through the strongest predictor intention, but there is a gap between intention and behavior. Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is known to account for a variance in sporting behaviors in human and animal subjects. However, the relationship between DRD2 and sport participation has been poorly studied, and the limited available reports are inconsistent. The present study was performed to examine the impact of DRD2 on sport participation among Korean university students based on the integrated behavioral model (IBM). Data were collected from enrolled university students in Seoul (N = 45). Participants answered survey questions first, and then they gave investigators their hair to provide DNA information (i.e., the A1 allele of DRD2). DRD2 had a significant effect on sport participation, but only in male students. Male students who carried the A1 allele of DRD2 significantly participated in 105.10 min more sporting activities than male students who did not. Moreover, the effect of intention on sport participation was significantly decreased when considering DRD2. Despite the small sample size, the results of this study could be a preliminary case for a larger study and indicate the direction of future research. Our results suggest that DRD2 may have played an important role as the “actual skill” shown in the IBM.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-143
Author(s):  
Stephanie A Kliethermes ◽  
Stephen W Marshall ◽  
Cynthia R LaBella ◽  
Andrew M Watson ◽  
Joel S Brenner ◽  
...  

Sport specialisation is becoming increasingly common among youth and adolescent athletes in the USA and many have raised concern about this trend. Although research on sport specialisation has grown significantly, numerous pressing questions remain pertaining to short-term and long-term effects of specialisation on the health and well-being of youth, including the increased risk of overuse injury and burnout. Many current elite athletes did not specialise at an early age. Methodological and study design limitations impact the quality of current literature, and researchers need to prioritise pressing research questions to promote safe and healthy youth sport participation. The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine hosted a Youth Early Sport Specialization Summit in April 2019 with the goal of synthesising and reviewing current scientific knowledge and developing a research agenda to guide future research in the field based on the identified gaps in knowledge. This statement provides a broad summary of the existing literature, gaps and limitations in current evidence and identifies key research priorities to help guide researchers conducting research on youth sport specialisation. Our goals are to help improve the quality and relevance of research on youth sport specialisation and to ultimately assure that opportunities for healthy and safe sport participation continue for all youth.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102986492110055
Author(s):  
Ee Ran How ◽  
Leonard Tan ◽  
Peter Miksza

We employed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method to systematically review research on music practice from 1928 until June 2020 and identified a total of 3,102 records using our inclusion criteria, of which a total of 296 were eventually selected for the final analysis. We tabulated percentages and frequencies of (a) publications in ten-year periods, (b) type of publications, (c) sampling by geographical location, (d) methodologies used, (e) the top tenth percentile of the most highly cited research, and (f) topics covered. Our analyses reveal that particularly strong growth occurred in the literature between 2000 and 2020. In the literature we retrieved, the most commonly sampled research participants were those in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. Quantitative research designs were most prevalent, accounting for two-thirds of all studies reviewed (66.2%), with questionnaires and recordings being the most common methods of data collection. Non-empirical papers (17.5%) as well as studies incorporating qualitative (13.5%) and mixed-methods designs (3.1%) were much less prevalent. Ericsson et al.’s (1993) seminal study of deliberate practice, Driskell et al.’s (1994) review of the research literature on mental practice, and Sloboda et al.’s (1996) study of young musicians were by far the most often cited. Overall, the most common topics addressed were deliberate practice, practice strategies, mental practice, the benefits of practice, metacognition, self-regulation, and self-efficacy, suggesting that music practice is a rich, multifaceted, and complex activity. In light of the findings, recommendations for practice and implications for future research are provided.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Siying Fu ◽  
Yujie Duan ◽  
Siqi Wang ◽  
Yipeng Ren ◽  
Wenjun Bu

Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major agricultural pest in East Asia that causes considerable economic losses to the soybean crop each year. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the growth and development of R. pedestris have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the Illumina HiSeq6000 platform was employed to perform de novo transcriptome assembly and determine the gene expression profiles of this species across all developmental stages, including eggs, first-, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, and adults. In this study, a total of 60,058 unigenes were assembled from numerous raw reads, exhibiting an N50 length of 2126 bp and an average length of 1199 bp, and the unigenes were annotated and classified with various databases, such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG), and Gene Ontology (GO). Furthermore, various numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were calculated through pairwise comparisons of all life stages, and some of these DEGs were associated with immunity, metabolism, and development by GO and KEGG enrichment. In addition, 35,158 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 715,604 potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the seven transcriptome libraries of R. pedestris. Finally, we identified and summarized ten wing formation-related signaling pathways, and the molecular properties and expression levels of five wing development-related genes were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for all developmental stages of R. pedestris. Taken together, the results of this study may establish a foundation for future research investigating developmental processes and wing formation in hemimetabolous insects and may provide valuable data for pest control efforts attempting to reduce the economic damage caused by this pest.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document