The present study aims to systematically describe free Mental Practicing (MP) in a complex cognitive task, including cross-individual differences in the use of different MP strategies and their relation to performance. Sixteen pianists were studied while memorizing piano pieces. Each subject memorized two pieces, one by MP and the other by Physical Practice (PP). During MP subjects freely applied the practice strategies they preferred, except physically playing a real piano (ecological approach). Practice and performances were video-documented; practice strategies were reported in researcher-developed questionnaires. MP alone produced successful musical learning. MP combined with PP produced results close to PP alone. MP outcomes were significantly related to the strategies applied. Results suggest a connection for MP with the internal-external attentional focus theory (Wulf, 2007) developed for overt motor learning. Practical implications for musicians’ practice habits are discussed.
Bernardi, N., Schories, A., Jabusch, H., Colombo, B., Altenmüller, E. (2009). Mental Practice in Music Memorization: an Ecological-Empirical Study. Intervento presentato a: Seventh Triennial Conference of European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä.
Mental Practice in Music Memorization: an Ecological-Empirical Study
BERNARDI, NICOLO' FRANCESCO;
2009
Abstract
The present study aims to systematically describe free Mental Practicing (MP) in a complex cognitive task, including cross-individual differences in the use of different MP strategies and their relation to performance. Sixteen pianists were studied while memorizing piano pieces. Each subject memorized two pieces, one by MP and the other by Physical Practice (PP). During MP subjects freely applied the practice strategies they preferred, except physically playing a real piano (ecological approach). Practice and performances were video-documented; practice strategies were reported in researcher-developed questionnaires. MP alone produced successful musical learning. MP combined with PP produced results close to PP alone. MP outcomes were significantly related to the strategies applied. Results suggest a connection for MP with the internal-external attentional focus theory (Wulf, 2007) developed for overt motor learning. Practical implications for musicians’ practice habits are discussed.
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