Dyadic Drumming across the Lifespan Reveals a Zone of Proximal Development in Children

American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications

Y

13

Interpersonal Relationship; Individual Differences; Interaction; Models; Age Differences; Children; Child Development; Females; Foreign Countries; Kindergarten; Grade 6; Young Adults; Older Adults; Developmental Psychology

10.1037/a0021818

0012-1649

Many social interactions require the synchronization--be it automatically or intentionally--of one's own behavior with that of others. Using a dyadic drumming paradigm, the authors delineate lifespan differences in interpersonal action synchronization (IAS). Younger children, older children, younger adults, and older adults in same- and mixed-age dyads were instructed to drum in synchrony with their interaction partner at a constant, self-chosen tempo. Adult-only dyads showed the highest and children-only the lowest levels of IAS accuracy. It is important to note that children improved reliably in IAS accuracy when paired with older partners. The observed age-related differences in IAS accuracy remained reliable after statistically controlling for individual differences in the ability to synchronize to a metronome and for between-dyad differences in tempo. The authors conclude that IAS improves from middle childhood to adulthood and that adult interaction partners may facilitate its development. (Contains 2 tables, 2 figures and 6 footnotes.)

As Provided

99

2011

EJ934300