Different people have different personalities. They may be exposed to different types of environment so they may yield various musical preferences. The reason why people prefer different kinds of music has been taken on different angles already. Until now, nobody can give a single, precise answer on why people do such things.
The researchers listed the theories that would support the study on the music preferences of high school students in line with the type of school that they are in. The theories that are selected are further grouped to make a systematic framework that would serve as the basis in making the study.
The theoretical framework is focused on the following: the environment, individual and his/her music preference. Supporting these elements are two theories of music preference, and a theory explaining the development of human beings.
Le Blanc’s Interactive Theory of Music Preference
According to Shafer (2008), LeBlanc's music listening preference theory covers a whole system of input information. His theory organizes the variables of music listening preference in a hierarchical flow chart with eight levels. Droe (2006) even supported this by expounding the different levels of LeBlanc’s theory. Level 1 consists of physical properties and cultural influence, being the input level. Levels 2, 3, and 4 include physiological enabling conditions, basic attention, and current affective state. LeBlanc said that these variables can affect the listener, whether he/she is willing to listen to the music or not. A personality, training, and maturation influence is a part of level 5. These are considered as the personal “characteristics” or traits of an individual, which play a role on the decision of an individual. All of these things undergo brain processing, decision point, and preference judgment, which is n levels 6, 7 and 8. The teacher or parent may be considered as a variable on the input level while music training is a product of music education at the fourth level.
The theory of Le Blanc states that the selection of music is influenced by the relationship and interaction between various factors (Shafer, 2008). However, the theory didn’t give much significance to the usage of music on music preference. According to Shafer, LeBlanc’s theory did not also mention the connection between the listener and the music they prefer to.
The Reciprocal Model of Music Preference
Hargreaves, Miell and Macdonald’s theory is deeply rooted in Le Blanc’s though this theory does not specially focus on music preference. It rather focused on the responses to music between the interaction of the music, listener, and the listening context which could further establish the music preference of the individual (Shafer, 2008). However, the theory does not clearly state on how the different variables mesh together. Predictions on how the factors interact to form the music preference are also vague.
Hargreaves, Miell and Macdonald’s theory explains the relationship among the different components: the music, the listener, and the listening situation. Shafer (2008) says that music varies according to its genres, styles. Its complexity and familiarity to the listener matter. The listener differs in age, gender and his/her socio-economic status and the knowledge and training in music. When the listener listens to the music, it creates an immediate response. These responses are physiological, cognitive and affective. He states that physiological response refers to the level of engagement the music and the listener have. The attention, memory, perceptual coding, expectation, discrimination and evaluation of the listener to the music are the cognitive response. Likewise, the emotional responses, like/dislike and the mood is brought by the affective response. Shafer (2008) further explained that these responses depend on situations like social and cultural contexts, everyday routines, activities, and the presence or absence of others that the listener is undertaking. This is complete evidence why the music preference of one person changes through time (Shafer, 2008).
Piaget’s Cognitive Stage Theory
Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Stage Theory brings a clear view on child development, as each child matures and goes all through a series of stages. These stages are a basic foundation in which children develop the concept of standardization.
Cognitive Stage Theory is composed of four stages. First, the sensory motor stage (birth-2 yrs. old). The infant builds a foundation of reality through interactions with the environment in this stage. The infant is able to assimilate and accommodate objects by himself/herself. The preoperational stage (ages 2-4) states that the child is unable to conceptualize objects abstractly and need concrete physical things and situations for the child to understand it. The concrete operations stage (ages 7-11) states that the child now develops abstract concepts, thinks logically and is now able to explain physical experiences. In the formal operations stage (ages 11-15) he or she is already capable of deductive and hypothetical reasoning and is mature enough to make rational judgments.
Votroubek and Townsend (1997) states that there are also four factors that can affect the development of individuals based on the Cognitive Development Theory. These are physical maturation, physical environment, social experiences and equilibration. Physical maturation pertains to the development of the individual’s physical traits including the brain and Central Nervous system. According to Piaget as stated in Licup and Rendon (2010), experience with the physical environment entails operation of the child to the object in his/her environment and his/her reaction to that thing. He also describes social experience as the effect of “cultural or educational experiences” including the knowledge of play. Votroubek and Townsend (1997) adds that the development of the child should be balanced or in a state if equilibrium.
Figure 1 found on the next page show the cyclic interaction between the variables. The individual (control group) lies at the center of the other factors. The environment directly influences the individual, so he/she acts in ways that is appropriate for the situation. These actions are thus explained in Piaget’s Cognitive theory. Since the focus of the study is music preference, the LeBlanc and the Reciprocal Feedback Model of music preference explain the response of individuals when they hear music.
Fig. 1. Theoretical framework.
Conceptual Framework:
The theory of Piaget is included mainly because it focuses on how an individual go through the different stages of his/her life. The researchers focus on the stage where high school students are classified, which is in the formal operations stage. The formal operations stage is described as the stage where the individual can already choose what he/she likes best based on his/her standards, or preference.
The researchers assume that high school students do not need the assistance of their parents to make even the smallest decisions of their lives. It is already the decision of high school students to judge the music that they are listening and mix and match their own playlist. Nonetheless, their decisions can still be affected due to the environment that they are situated in. It is still up to the individual if he/she chooses to be affected by these external factors.
In figure 2, the environment and individuals are further identified to give specifics to the study. The school gives ground for interaction between individuals which may share or differ in personality. This figure focuses on the reaction of the student when he/she is introduced to music which is new to his/her ears. The student may quickly develop a connection with the music, or he/she may disregard it because of social and environmental factors (i.e. friends).
These factors can then “filter” the music preference of the students.
Fig. 2. Conceptual Framework.
Operational Framework:
The students from public, special science and private sectarian high schools are the last variables that are involved in the study. This framework aims to find out how the different types of school influence the music preference of their students. Piaget mentioned that an individual can already decide for her own during high school years (formal operations stage) but then the environment may affect the decisions that he/she make indirectly. We assume that the individual’s age, gender and socio-economic status and level of intellect can determine his/her preferred music by knowing which type of school he/she belongs.
The music preference of the students may be taken by knowing their preferred music genre. Country, jazz, blues, easy listening, hip hop, RNB, classic, rock and gospel are the types of music genres included in the study.
Figure 3 shows the students and the music genres that are to be chosen from. Since the different factors/theories cited already filtered the music preference of the students, it is time for them to decide their own music preference. The types of schools are already focused on the last framework. This means to show that the researchers are considering the types of school as a primary factor on why students differ in their music preference.
Fig. 3. Operational Framework.
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