Abstract

RIBEIRO, Fabiana Silva  and  SANTOS, Flávia Heloísa Dos. Musical training and working memory span in beginners, veterans and with no musical knowledge children. Psicol. Reflex. Crit. [online]. 2012, vol.25, n.3, pp. 559-567. ISSN 0102-7972.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722012000300016.

Working memory and musical activity activate reciprocal and homologues brain areas. However, there is a lack of evidence if musical training can amplify the working memory span. Objective: To assess the performance of musical training on working memory in children aged 9 and 10 years old who regularly have musical training or with no musical training at all. PARTICIPANTS: Beginners (n=20), Veterans (n=20) and a Control Group (n=20). MATERIALS: Computerized instruments to assess working memory. RESULTS: Veteran children presented higher scores in BCPR (Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition) and in specific tasks of AWMA (Automated Working Memory Assessment). CONCLUSION: Musical training seems to have contributed for working memory development in veteran children under musical training programs.

Keywords : AWMA; working memory; musical training; music teaching.