Does learning music hinge on smarts, not mindset? | Intelligence - Culture - Futurity: Research News

Intelligence could play a role in how quickly people learn music, according to new research on the early stages of learning to play piano.

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The study may be the first to examine the relationship among intelligence, music aptitude, and growth mindset in beginner pianists by Futurity: Research News.

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Growth mindset refers to whether students believe they can improve basic abilities, like piano ability.

“The strongest predictor of skill acquisition was intelligence, followed by music aptitude,” says Alexander Burgoyne, a doctoral candidate in cognition and cognitive neuroscience at Michigan State University...

“Our study examined one of the earliest stages of skill acquisition,” Burgoyne says. “Early experiences can be formative, but I would caution against drawing conclusions about skilled musicians based on our study of beginners.”

But applied generally, the study’s findings may be helpful in education.

It follows a recent review of mindset research that found a weak relationship between growth mindset and academic achievement.
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Additional resources 
Original Study
DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2019.101383

Source: Futurity: Research News