Music Psychology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

None

This subject will encompass an initial exploration of music psychology research. Selected researchers within the field, including music therapists, behavioural neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, and experimental psychologists will outline recent and current practical research involving music across the lifespan. Information will be provided on the relationship between music and the brain, as well as music and the body. The development of musical skills at different life stages will be outlined, from birth to old age. Each lecture will be assessed by weekly on-line quizzes and students will select one topic for specialisation for the final assignment.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• identify relevant research to a range of topics from a range of disciplines
• present integrated summaries of relevant research studies
• critically analyse research and varying theories pertinent to Music Psychology

Weekly participation in web-based quiz (40%); 2000 word written assignment, due at the end of semester (60%).

W Thompson, Music, Thought and Feeling: Understanding the psychology of music. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Electronic readings will be available online via the LMS website.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed:

• skills in accessing current research from international databases, web sites, journals and texts
• the ability to analyse and critique literature and presentations
• high level conceptual and applied skills.