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 infantsFor 5-Month-Old Infants, Melodies Are Social
Mehr S, Song L, Spelke E. For 5-Month-Old Infants, Melodies Are Social. Psychological Science 2016, 27: 486-501. PMID: 26917211, DOI: 10.1177/0956797615626691.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSelective attentionFamiliar melodiesRemarkable memoryNew personUnfamiliar melodiesUnfamiliar adultsFamiliar songsNovel individualsUnfamiliar songsSocial partnersDifferent melodiesMelodyNovel songsOlder infantsSong exposureSocial meaningPersonsToysMemorySongsInfantsInteractive videoParentsSingingAdultsUniversal 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 sensitivityLanguage experience predicts music processing in a half-million speakers of fifty-four languages
Liu J, Hilton C, Bergelson E, Mehr S. Language experience predicts music processing in a half-million speakers of fifty-four languages. Current Biology 2023, 33: 1916-1925.e4. PMID: 37105166, PMCID: PMC10306420, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-tonal languagesNative speakersTonal languageTonal language speakersUse of pitchMusic perception skillsLanguage speakersLinguistic experienceDiverse languagesLanguage experienceLinguistic pitchPerception of pitchCultural differencesSpeakersLanguageLifelong experienceMusic perceptionMusic trainingPerception skillsMusic processingMusical beatAuditory processingMusical melodiesHuman mindMusic lessons
2024
Spectro-temporal acoustical markers differentiate speech from song across cultures
Albouy P, Mehr S, Hoyer R, Ginzburg J, Du Y, Zatorre R. Spectro-temporal acoustical markers differentiate speech from song across cultures. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 4835. PMID: 38844457, PMCID: PMC11156671, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49040-3.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Music, a piece of many puzzles in developmental science
Mehr S, Bortfeld H. Music, a piece of many puzzles in developmental science. Developmental Science 2023, 26: e13438. PMID: 37501524, DOI: 10.1111/desc.13438.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChildren 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
Sound-induced motion in chimpanzees does not imply shared ancestry for music or dance
Bertolo M, Singh M, Mehr S. Sound-induced motion in chimpanzees does not imply shared ancestry for music or dance. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2020, 118: e2015664118. PMID: 33443199, PMCID: PMC7812764, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015664118.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOrigins 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 categories
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 judgmentAudioExpressivity
2017
Genomic 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
2013
Two Randomized Trials Provide No Consistent Evidence for Nonmusical Cognitive Benefits of Brief Preschool Music Enrichment
Mehr S, Schachner A, Katz R, Spelke E. Two Randomized Trials Provide No Consistent Evidence for Nonmusical Cognitive Benefits of Brief Preschool Music Enrichment. PLOS ONE 2013, 8: e82007. PMID: 24349171, PMCID: PMC3859544, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVisual arts classesMusic classesArt classesCognitive developmentCognitive effectsEarly music educationVisual form analysisChildren's cognitive developmentSpatial navigational abilityMusic educationMusic instructionMusic lessonsMusical activitiesVisual artsMusic trainingArt activitiesMusical trainingTreatment controlArts instructionWeeks of classesReceptive vocabularyChildren's cognitionCognitive areasCognitive benefitsNumerical discrimination