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in Music Education
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Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education Spring, 2004, No. 160
Abstract
This paper contains an overview, analysis, and comments regarding fifteen years of re-
search using the Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI). A brief history of the CRDI
development is given followed by a general explanation of issues relating to validity and reliabil-
ity, especially concerning CRDI studies in music. Specific studies are addressed relating to
assessments using this device in relationship to other continuous response devices and other
traditional measurement scales.
Introduction
In the late 1980s a new measuring device was developed at the Center for Music
Research (CMR) at Florida State University. We called it the Continuous Response
Digital Interface (CRDI). l
This device allows listeners to respond non- verbally during ongoing music and/or
during visual presentations. We were interested in using extant technology to develop
a device that would be multi-purpose, yet provide a "standard" for subsequent non-
verbal measurement (Madsen, 1990)2. Obviously, it is difficult to compare results of
separate studies if there is not a similar measuring device - and further development of
any "new" measuring device compounds this problem. Similar devices had been pre-
viously used in measuring continuous responses to music (whether heard or imagined)
yet there was not wide access to the software, some were cumbersome, or the devices
were very expensive (Clynes, 1977; Clynes & Nettheim, 1982; de Vries, 1991; Hatoh,
Kato, Kuwano, & Namba, 1989; Kuwano, & Namba, 1985; Nielsen, 1987).
The initial CRDI took two basic forms. One consisted of a large dial that could be
moved across a 256-degree arc using various overlays that were specific to the vari-
ables being studied. The other consisted of a box with a lever (slider) that could be
1 Development of the CRDI was a collaborative effort. Based on earlier theoretical work of
Vance Cotter, Jere Forsythe, Doug Greer, and Terry Kuhn, the hardware itself was developed by
Eitaro Kawaguchi (an electrical engineer at CMR) and Charles Robinson. The software was a
group effort: Dianne Gregory, Eitaro Kawaguchi, Clifford Madsen, Charles Robinson, Jack Tay-
lor, Earlene Rentz, Deborah Capperella Sheldon, Ruth Brittin, and Chris Johnson all contributed
to the early devices.
2 Over the years the Center for Music Research has provided software to anyone interested
in using any of the CRDI devices. The one-dimensional device includes a recently developed
interface (with USB connection to a single PC or Mac) that accepts up to eight separate dials for
simultaneous testing. The current two-dimensional version is software only.
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2
Validity
Important issues concerning validity relate to many different aspects of measur-
ing what it is that any instrument is intended to measure. Yet a primary question must
be asked: Valid for what and/or for whom? As noted by Schmidt (1996), the same
instrument used to assess fine-level gradients of music perception may not be "valid"
when used to assess other music responses. A Likert-type rating scale or a CRDI dial
intended to measure music preferences of fourth grade students may not be "valid" when
assessing preferences of college-age music majors. Tests are designed for a variety of
purposes and measurement devices are as well. Most often entire tests are constructed
specifically to measure a defined population on a very specific attribute. For example,
the Seashore Measures of Musical Talents would not be used appropriately to assess
music performance achievement, an analysis of fundamental frequency would not be
considered a sufficient measure of expression in music. While "control" measurements
are often useful (e.g., spectrographic analysis of waveforms to establish actual stimu-
lus differentiation), most measuring devices are intended for some specific purpose.
Validity should only be evaluated based on specific purposes, and there are a number
of ways that validity can be classified. Often the classification relates to content valid-
ity and is primarily based on someone's judgment as to whether the content is
representative. Indeed, all attempts at establishing validity are actually based either
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Gernger/Madsen/Gregory
on conjecture and/or so
lated or empirical) and c
measurements taken to r
criterion (and one may
forms of validity relate
measures, not from the
construct validity are b
simplification is not inte
of validity, something t
remembered however th
or who it is that is doing
Content validity is the
requires both face valid
test appears to measure
ported to measure. Sam
sampling of the total con
cations in that "global"
research literature and n
Construct validity is a
sults as predicted by a c
must be inferred by m
devises (e.g., a PET or f
while a person listens to
thinking, musical or oth
ficult task and the infer
assessments or explanat
music preferences, mus
A construct can be conc
usually many studies a
entity. The process usua
ing the construct. If we
will learn music faster, w
choose to continue the f
differentiate talent and relate it to the other measurements.
A number of philosophers of science (e.g. Popper, 1962) and music educators
(e.g. Cady, 1992) have noted the necessity of theory in the development of research.
Some criticism directed toward "behavioral research" has focused on its lack of theory
(Skinner argued, for example in 1950, that theory is unnecessary and only empirical
description of responses is useful). Such criticism, however, is relevant and may pro-
vide a point of departure in that many music researchers (including those who consider
themselves behaviorists) have advanced only a limited number of theories, albeit after
amassing a large amount of data and with a view toward parsimony, especially
concerning those aspects incapable of being fully operationalized (Geringer & Madsen,
1991; Madsen, 1996; 1999; Madsen & Geringer, 2001). Juslin (2001) also noted the
lack of relevant theories and presents an elaborated theoretical framework that
addresses music performance and suggests a functionalist perspective on emotional
communication. Regardless of intent, the deficiency in attempts to explore the
basic theoretical underpinnings of research constructs is not advocated and does not
diminish the need for well developed theory - an absolute necessity for continuing
research development.
Concurrent validity is actually a reliability procedure that attempts to relate the
degree of relationship between one set of scores (measurements) and another previ-
ously recognized set measured earlier or at about the same time. Usually, an already
established measurement is used to compare one set of measurements in a kind of
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4
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Geringer/Madsen/Gregory
Reliability
Reliability is concerned with consistency of measurements across time, or consis-
tency across various instruments, observers, and so on. Reliability is expressed as a
degree of relationship and is determined in various ways: test-retest, split-halves, par-
allel forms, sample observations compared with other subjects, judges, observers, or
devices. All are attempts to demonstrate relationships and minimize the unintended
spurious effects of measurement error that is an inevitable result of any and all mea-
surement. Stanley (1971) defined reliability as the proportion of variance in a set of
values that is due to genuine variability in what is being measured.
Establishing reliability whether used to help establish validity or having to do
with other issues concerning consistency of measurement is much more straightfor-
ward than establishing validity. If any measuring device appears consistent and looks
as if it actually measures what it is purported to measure, then another extremely im-
portant question must be raised, "How does one actually know if a measurement is
valid without resorting to either conjecture and/or reliability?" Or as Ed Gordon has
aptly stated, "Only God can establish validity."3
One of the first reliability studies was conducted by Capperella (1989), who as-
sessed test-retest reliability. Capperella used the lever version of the CRDI by dividing
the horizontal line into five music elements, such as dynamic and melodic. Forty par-
ticipants listened to ten classical music excerpts and moved the lever to the section of
the dial corresponding to their focus of attention. Test-retest reliability with musicians
and non-musicians in each of the five element zones ranged from .73 to .98, with a
mean of .90. Another of the first studies by Gregory subsequently published in 1994
was extremely large in scope. The study attempted to answer a basic question: Does a
person more often choose music that has been previously studied when compared to
other possibilities? Preference responses across a wide range of music examples were
obtained from nearly 1300 participants in eight sites across the United States. Thirty
percent of each age group used two CRDI dials during listening: preference ratings
(obtained from all listeners) were collected on one dial, and discrete responses to knowl-
edge questions were collected on a second dial. Preference ratings of sixth grade, high
school, and college students using only the preference dial were similar to the ratings
of subjects in each group using both the knowledge and preference dials. However, the
degree to which listeners' reported knowledge of a specific music excerpt corresponded
with the degree of reported preference for that selection was inconsistent across ex-
cerpts and age groups.
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6
Discussion
In past years the graduate training of music educators did not always include the
tests, measurements, and statistics courses evident in much of today's curricula.
Many years ago it was common to "bring in outside expertise" to help not only indi-
vidual graduate students complete their research, but to help the entire field of
music education in using techniques and procedures that were not available within
graduate music programs. Presently, there are many persons in music education with
the expertise to provide necessary guidance for almost all research projects and the
growing body of research published in our best music journals attests to this higher
level of sophistication.
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Geringer/Madsen/Gregory
References
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