Do absolute pitch possessors have a field independent cognitive style?

2009

The factors contributing to the development of absolute pitch (AP) are still not fully understood. It seems to be neither completely inherited nor completely teachable. This study tested the hypothesis, that individual differences in cognitive style influence AP development. Specifically, it investigated whether adult AP possessors can be characterized by a field independent cognitive style while handling visual and musical tasks. Thirty professional musicians performed tests of absolute and relative pitch abilities, a visual and a musical task measuring field independence, and visual tasks measuring intellectual functioning. The absolute pitch test resulted in a continuous distribution of …