Cognitive Science Program

A neurophenomenological investigation of mindfulness among collegiate musicians (2020)
Frank Diaz, Jason Silveira, and Katherine Strand
Journal of Research in Music Education, 68 351-374

Abstract

We investigated the efficacy of a phenomenological matrix of mindfulness as a framework for examining expectations, formal meditation experiences, and appraisals of first-year college music students (N = 18) who participated in a 5-day mindfulness module offered through an introductory course in music education. Participants expressed hopes that meditation would help them manage stress and anxiety, improve their focus and relationships, and support their personal growth and motivation. With respect to lived experiences of formal meditation, we found that without explicit prompting, approximately 86% of coded phrases reflected dimensions of experience that could be mapped within the matrix, suggesting its efficacy for coding. Furthermore, almost all participants attributed mindfulness to improving their general wellness, with dereification, breathing, and nonaversive affect frequently mentioned as key factors leading to these improvements. Additionally, consistent with the neurophenomenological aims of the matrix, we list cognitive outcomes and neurophysiological mechanisms potentially attributable to the nature of selected appraisal statements by participants.

Relationships among meditation, perfectionism, mindfulness, and performance anxiety among collegiate music students (2018)
Frank M Diaz
Journal of Research in Music Education, 66 (2), 150-167

Abstract

I examined the use of meditation practices among collegiate-level musicians (N = 255), along with the degree to which these practices contributed to music performance anxiety (MPA) when controlling for trait perfectionism and trait mindfulness. Findings indicated that approximately 48% of the participants sampled had engaged in meditation during the past 6 months and that, holding mindfulness and perfectionist traits constant, participants who meditated at least weekly tended to report less MPA. Additionally, higher trait mindfulness predicted lower performance anxiety, whereas higher self-oriented as well as socially prescribed perfectionism predicted higher MPA scores. The type of meditation participants engaged in did not seem to significantly affect performance anxiety.

Expressing emotion through vocal performance: Acoustic cues and the effects of a mindfulness induction (2018)
Daphne Tan, Frank M Diaz and Peter Miksza
Psychology of Music, 3.05736E+14

Abstract

Previous research suggests that musicians modulate a predictable set of acoustic cues to convey distinct emotions. The current study focuses on singers, testing the validity of cues previously reported for a wide range of instruments. The study also asks: What effect might a musician’s mindfulness have on their expressive performance? Two groups of highly skilled vocalists recorded performances of a novel melody with four distinct emotions. Prior to the performance task, an experimental group took part in a guided mindfulness induction, while a control group engaged in a self-selected relaxation activity; state mindfulness was assessed immediately after. Recordings were analyzed for tempo, temporal variation, intensity, mean centroid, vibrato rate, vibrato extent, and attack slope; individual notes with particular scale-degree functions were also compared. Results show that the two groups of participants had similar …

Mindfulness, attention, and flow during music listening: An empirical investigation (2013)
Frank M Diaz
Psychology of Music, 41 (1), 42-58

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a brief mindfulness meditation induction technique on perceived attention, aesthetic response, and flow during music listening as measured by Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) and questionnaire. Participants were students enrolled in music classes or ensembles at a comprehensive university in the southeastern United States (N = 132), and were randomly assigned to one of four groups: mindfulness induction paired with aesthetic response (n = 34), mindfulness induction paired with flow response (n = 35), aesthetic response (n = 32), or flow response (n = 31). Responses to questionnaire items suggests that participants experienced a subjective ‘heightening’ of attention during music listening compared to baseline in all conditions, with no specific modification attributable to the mindfulness task. However, a majority of respondents in the mindfulness groups …

The effect of subtitles on listeners’ perceptions of expressivity (2014)
Jason M Silveira and Frank M Diaz
Psychology of music, 42 (2), 233-250

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what effect, if any, subtitles would have on listeners’ perceptions of expressivity in an operatic performance. Specifically, this study addressed the following research questions: (1) will there be differences in perceived expressivity among three listening conditions (audio only, audio + video, audio + video with subtitles)? (2) Will the listening condition have an effect on listeners’ magnitude of response? (3) Will listening condition have an effect on listeners’ stated focus of attention during the listening task? (4) Where during the stimulus will listeners perceive moments of expressivity? A 13-minute excerpt from a live production of Puccini’s La Bohème was used as the music stimulus. Participants (N = 103) were randomly assigned to the experimental (audio + video, audio + video with subtitles) and control (audio only) groups. Continuous data were collected via the Continuous …

Dimensions of flow in academic and social activities among summer music camp participants (2013)
Frank M Diaz and Jason Silveira
International Journal of Music Education, 31 (3), 310-320

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of flow experiences among high school music students attending a two-week summer instrumental music camp. Specifically, the study sought to determine if: (1) students do indeed experience flow in summer camp settings; (2) what activities are conducive to flow; (3) what is the relationship between academic and social contexts in inducing high-level flow experiences; and (4) what is the relationship between attention and enjoyment among these experiences. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to solicit information regarding the aforementioned factors. Results suggested that students experienced flow during a large range of activities, but that musical/academic activities were more conducive to flow than social activities. Additionally, moderate to strong levels of association were found between the variables of attention and enjoyment among …

Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among collegiate instrumentalists (2010)
Frank M Diaz
Contributions to Music Education, 23-35

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gather and compare information on measures of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among instrumentalists enrolled in collegiate ensembles. A survey instrument was developed to gather information concerning demographic data and responses to questions on motivational preference. Participants were undergraduate and graduate college instrumentalists (N=169) enrolled in band and orchestra ensembles at three universities in the southeastern United States. Results for all members of the survey indicate relatively high means for variables associated with intrinsic or "task/learning" orientations. Relatively low means were associated with variables regarded as extrinsic or "performance/ego" orientations. Factor analysis revealed three higher order constructs based upon all the motivation variables investigated in the study, these included Task/Learning, Performance/Ego, and …

Music and affective phenomena: A 20-year content and bibliometric analysis of research in three eminent journals (2014)
Frank M Diaz and Jason M Silveira
Journal of Research in Music Education, 62 (1), 66-77

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish trends in the study of music and affective phenomena through a content and bibliometric analysis of three eminent music research journals, the Journal of Research in Music Education, Psychology of Music, and Music Perception, for the years 1990 through 2009. Excluding editorials, paper responses, and book reviews, 1,293 articles were examined, resulting in 286 (22%) publications that met criteria for further analysis. Data indicated several trends with respect to the sample analyzed, including a notable but not significant decrease of affective studies in the Journal of Research in Music Education, with significant increases in the journal Music Perception. Other trends indicated the emergence of topics and methods that were less prevalent when compared to the overall sample but that evidenced significant increases throughout the period analyzed. These increases …

A preliminary investigation into the effects of a brief mindfulness induction on perceptions of attention, aesthetic response, and flow during music listening (2010)
Frank M Diaz

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a brief mindfulness induction technique on subjective reports of attention, aesthetic response, and flow during music listening as measured by Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) and questionnaire. Additionally, differences between aesthetic response and flow were explored in the context of verbal and CRDI responses. Participants were undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in music classes or ensembles at the College of Music at Florida State University (N= 132), and were randomly assigned to one of four groups: mindfulness induction paired with aesthetic response (n= 34), mindfulness induction paired with flow response (n= 35), aesthetic response (n= 32), and flow response (n= 31). For all groups, a questionnaire was used to gather data on self-reported measures of attention, and all participants were asked to manipulate a CRDI which registered either their aesthetic or flow response to a 10 ½ minute audio excerpt of Giacomo Puccini‟ s opera, La Bohème. In groups in which a mindfulness induction was used, participants were asked to listen to a previously recorded fifteen minute guided mindfulness audio presentation and report on their experiences. Responses to Likert-type questionnaire items suggest that participants experienced a subjective “heightening” of attention during music listening compared to baseline in all conditions, with no specific modification attributable to the mindfulness task. A majority of respondents in the mindfulness groups, however, reported that the task had modified their listening experience by increasing their ability to focus on the …

Listening and musical engagement: An exploration of the effects of different listening strategies on attention, emotion, and peak affective experiences (2015)
Frank M Diaz
Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33 (2), 27-33

Abstract

Music educators often use guided listening strategies as a means of enhancing engagement during music listening activities. Although previous research suggests that these strategies are indeed helpful in facilitating some form of cognitive and emotional engagement, little is known about how these strategies might function for music of differing styles, or how they might affect attention, emotion, and peak affective experiences specifically during listening. In this study, these factors were investigated through the lens of three previously examined strategies: a distraction index, labeling of musical elements, and unguided listening. General findings suggest that the most consequential factor in enhancing musical engagement was presenting students with some type of goal either during or at the end of listening, regardless of the musical style or listening strategy used throughout the task. Furthermore, implications of the …

Music as competition for focus of attention (2009)
CK Madsen, FM Diaz and JM Geringer
American Music Therapy Association National Conference, San Diego, CA,

The effect of skill level on instrumentalists’ perceptions of flow: An exploratory study (2012)
Anna K Waite and Frank M Diaz
Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education, 49 23-Jan

Abstract

Many studies have focused on improving instrumentalists’ practice routines for the purposes of improving efficiency and productivity. However, there appear to be no studies that have addressed how practice might be altered to enhance musicians’ sense of enjoyment. This study investigated whether dimensions of flow could be experienced during individual instrumental practice, if general ability level influenced these experiences, and if on-task practice behaviors were related to the occurrence of flow experiences. Volunteer participants (N= 20) were instrumentalists majoring in music at a large university. Participants were members of an entry level ensemble (n= 8) and advanced ensembles (n= 12). Participants video recorded three, 30-minute practice sessions. At the end of each practice session, participants completed a questionnaire reporting perceived aspects of the practice experience that included skill, challenge, playfulness, concentration, control and enjoyment. Video recordings were analyzed for on-task and off-task behaviors. Findings indicated that students of different ability levels varied in their perceptions of skill, but not in other dimensions of the flow experience. Additionally, advanced students seemed to be less “on-task” during practice when compared with their less advanced peers.