Featured Publications
Acoustic regularities in infant-directed speech and song across cultures
Hilton C, Moser C, Bertolo M, Lee-Rubin H, Amir D, Bainbridge C, Simson J, Knox D, Glowacki L, Alemu E, Galbarczyk A, Jasienska G, Ross C, Neff M, Martin A, Cirelli L, Trehub S, Song J, Kim M, Schachner A, Vardy T, Atkinson Q, Salenius A, Andelin J, Antfolk J, Madhivanan P, Siddaiah A, Placek C, Salali G, Keestra S, Singh M, Collins S, Patton J, Scaff C, Stieglitz J, Cutipa S, Moya C, Sagar R, Anyawire M, Mabulla A, Wood B, Krasnow M, Mehr S. Acoustic regularities in infant-directed speech and song across cultures. Nature Human Behaviour 2022, 6: 1545-1556. PMID: 35851843, PMCID: PMC10101735, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01410-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcoustic featuresAdult-directed speechInfant-directed speechEnglish language websitesRecordings of infantsLinguistic relatednessAcoustic regularitiesListeners' sensitivityHuman communicationPsychological functionsAcoustic differencesSmall-scale societiesSongsSpeechAcoustic profilesCultureVocalizationsCommunicationLanguagePeopleListenersVocalizerMusicSocietyCommon setUniversality and diversity in human song
Mehr S, Singh M, Knox D, Ketter D, Pickens-Jones D, Atwood S, Lucas C, Jacoby N, Egner A, Hopkins E, Howard R, Hartshorne J, Jennings M, Simson J, Bainbridge C, Pinker S, O'Donnell T, Krasnow M, Glowacki L. Universality and diversity in human song. Science 2019, 366 PMID: 31753969, PMCID: PMC7001657, DOI: 10.1126/science.aax0868.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInfants relax in response to unfamiliar foreign lullabies
Bainbridge C, Bertolo M, Youngers J, Atwood S, Yurdum L, Simson J, Lopez K, Xing F, Martin A, Mehr S. Infants relax in response to unfamiliar foreign lullabies. Nature Human Behaviour 2020, 5: 256-264. PMID: 33077883, PMCID: PMC8220405, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-00963-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMusical experienceMusical featuresListener experienceLullabiesAcoustic formForeign societiesFussy infantAdult listenersHuman mindDifferent culturesElectrodermal activitySongsBehavioral functionsInfant's parentsExperienceParentsMusicListenersPupillometryCultureInfantsMindFirst yearSocietyUS infantsUniversal interpretations of vocal music
Yurdum L, Singh M, Glowacki L, Vardy T, Atkinson Q, Hilton C, Sauter D, Krasnow M, Mehr S. Universal interpretations of vocal music. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2218593120. PMID: 37676911, PMCID: PMC10500275, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218593120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVocal musicDance songsSmall-scale societiesUniversal interpretationHuman songMusical diversityMusical featuresUnfamiliar songsCultural contentUnfamiliar languageGlobal mediaMusicSongsCultural evolutionLullabiesAcoustic characteristicsListenersBehavioral contextSocietyPerceptual phenomenaContextSingersEnglishLanguagePerceptual sensitivity
2023
Universality, domain-specificity and development of psychological responses to music
Singh M, Mehr S. Universality, domain-specificity and development of psychological responses to music. Nature Reviews Psychology 2023, 2: 333-346. PMID: 38143935, PMCID: PMC10745197, DOI: 10.1038/s44159-023-00182-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychological responsesPsychological mechanismsRelevant psychological mechanismsHuman cognitive capacitiesMusical performersIdiosyncratic styleMusicCognitive adaptationCognitive systemCognitive capacityAuditory perceptionCultural evolutionBehavioral responsesUniversal patternMore general propertiesPerformersEmotionsStyleUniversalityTinkeringPerceptionAdaptationEvidenceFindingsTopicChildren Infer the Behavioral Contexts of Unfamiliar Foreign Songs
Hilton C, Thierry L, Yan R, Martin A, Mehr S. Children Infer the Behavioral Contexts of Unfamiliar Foreign Songs. Journal Of Experimental Psychology General 2023, 152: 839-850. PMID: 36222671, PMCID: PMC10083193, DOI: 10.1037/xge0001289.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBehavioral contextExperience of musicExtensive musical experienceMusic functionsMusical experienceMusical formMusical idiomMusical exposureSame songForeign songsEffect of experienceMusicWorld cultureAcoustical featuresKorean listenersBroader cultureChildren's inferencesSongsLullabiesHuman mindForeign languageUniversal linkOnline experimentSuch inferencesLarge sample
2021
Across demographics and recent history, most parents sing to their infants and toddlers daily
Yan R, Jessani G, Spelke E, de Villiers P, de Villiers J, Mehr S. Across demographics and recent history, most parents sing to their infants and toddlers daily. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences 2021, 376: 20210089. PMID: 34719251, PMCID: PMC8558774, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0089.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInfant-directed singingReliable individual differencesMost parentsFrequency of singingIndividual differencesPsychological functionsVoice modulationMusicSingingChild's ageSalient componentsEveryday natureSurvey of parentsParentsTechnological environmentParents' incomeRecent historyTheme issueHuman societyYoung familiesToddlersSocial impactInfantsDaily basisLatter effectToward a productive evolutionary understanding of music
Mehr S, Krasnow M, Bryant G, Hagen E. Toward a productive evolutionary understanding of music. Behavioral And Brain Sciences 2021, 44: e122. PMID: 34588071, PMCID: PMC10625480, DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x21000030.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Origins of music in credible signaling
Mehr S, Krasnow M, Bryant G, Hagen E. Origins of music in credible signaling. Behavioral And Brain Sciences 2020, 44: e60. PMID: 32843107, PMCID: PMC7907251, DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x20000345.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEvolution of musicOrigins of musicInfant-directed songHuman musicMusical behaviorMusical formMusicAltricial infantsCognitive phenomenaEffects of adaptationPsychological adaptationSocial bondingParental attentionCultural evolutionInterdisciplinary evidenceReceptionMate qualityMelodySongsProper domainCoordination abilityInfant careRhythmAdaptationDiverse categoriesCross-Cultural Work in Music CognitionChallenges, Insights, and Recommendations
Jacoby N, Margulis E, Clayton M, Hannon E, Honing H, Iversen J, Klein T, Mehr S, Pearson L, Peretz I, Perlman M, Polak R, Ravignani A, Savage P, Steingo G, Stevens C, Trainor L, Trehub S, Veal M, Wald-Fuhrmann M. Cross-Cultural Work in Music CognitionChallenges, Insights, and Recommendations. Music Perception An Interdisciplinary Journal 2020, 37: 185-195. PMID: 36936548, PMCID: PMC10019032, DOI: 10.1525/mp.2020.37.3.185.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychology of musicCross-cultural approachCross-cultural workWestern musicWestern participantsCross-cultural researchMusicDisciplinary backgroundsDifferent disciplinary backgroundsFoundational questionsWorkPaper surveysCultureConcrete recommendationsCollaborationEthicsPsychologyTerminologyPeopleEmpirical methodsQuestionsCurrent state
2019
Response to vocal music in Angelman syndrome contrasts with Prader-Willi syndrome
Kotler J, Mehr S, Egner A, Haig D, Krasnow M. Response to vocal music in Angelman syndrome contrasts with Prader-Willi syndrome. Evolution And Human Behavior 2019, 40: 420-426. PMID: 32655274, PMCID: PMC7351076, DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2019.05.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenomic imprinting disordersImprinting disordersParental investmentGenetic conflict theoryPaternal genetic contributionGenetic contributionParent-offspring conflictAngelman syndromeMaternal genetic contributionParental attentionPrader-Willi syndromeGenetic relatednessGenetic expressionVocal musicPsychological resourcesPsychological phenomenaComplementary patternEnhanced relaxation responsesBiological foundationsConflict theoryResource distributionInfant demandRelatednessMusicExpression
2018
Sight-over-sound judgments of music performances are replicable effects with limited interpretability
Mehr S, Scannell D, Winner E. Sight-over-sound judgments of music performances are replicable effects with limited interpretability. PLOS ONE 2018, 13: e0202075. PMID: 30183719, PMCID: PMC6124715, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202075.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMusic performanceListener judgmentsPerformance qualityForced-choice taskMusical expressivityTheatrical flairSound effectsReplicable effectsVisual informationActual judgmentsOpposite patternListenersJudgmentsSoundLimited interpretabilityVideoSightMusicMusiciansPerformersDifferent videosAudienceSound judgmentAudioExpressivityForm and Function in Human Song
Mehr S, Singh M, York H, Glowacki L, Krasnow M. Form and Function in Human Song. Current Biology 2018, 28: 356-368.e5. PMID: 29395919, PMCID: PMC5805477, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.12.042.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVocal musicMusical featuresSong functionsFunction ratingsDance songsHuman songSong formLove songsBrief excerptsParticipants' unfamiliarityPseudorandom sampleForm-function relationsSongsMusicExcerptsSmall-scale societiesSocial functionUniversal linkContextual featuresInternet usersActual functionExperiment 1DanceLullabiesListeners
2017
Parent-offspring conflict and the evolution of infant-directed song
Mehr S, Krasnow M. Parent-offspring conflict and the evolution of infant-directed song. Evolution And Human Behavior 2017, 38: 674-684. DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.12.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenomic Imprinting Is Implicated in the Psychology of Music
Mehr S, Kotler J, Howard R, Haig D, Krasnow M. Genomic Imprinting Is Implicated in the Psychology of Music. Psychological Science 2017, 28: 1455-1467. PMID: 28857689, DOI: 10.1177/0956797617711456.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychology of musicMusic listeningInfant-directed songPitch discrimination abilitiesMusical phenotypesPerceptual sensitivityMusicSpecific deficitsParents' attentionHuman infantsListeningPsychologyInvestment demandSongsAttentionPrader-Willi syndromePeopleUnusual responseDeficitsExaggerationChildrenGreater reductionAdultsHistoryDisordersShared musical knowledge in 11‐month‐old infants
Mehr S, Spelke E. Shared musical knowledge in 11‐month‐old infants. Developmental Science 2017, 21 PMID: 28229502, DOI: 10.1111/desc.12542.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMusical toysVisual attentionSocial informationTypes of musicInfant visual attentionFive-month-old infantsSocial responsesMusical knowledgePlay songsFamiliar songsParental singingInfant listenersMusicSong exposureSongsPsychological functionsNovel peopleInfants' responsesSocial meaningContemporary environmentSocial preferencesSocial playMelodySingersSinging
2014
Music in the Home
Mehr S. Music in the Home. Journal Of Research In Music Education 2014, 62: 78-88. DOI: 10.1177/0022429413520008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMusic classesMusic activitiesFrequency of musicArtistic environmentLater musicMusic behaviorsMusic educationMusic experienceArt educationArt experienceParental songsMusicVariety of topicsIntergenerational linksPotential connectionSongsExperienceEducationOpinionOwn childrenEarly childhoodYoung childrenHomeAmerican familiesParticipation