Movement as a Musical Response Among Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to investigate preschool children's movement responses to music in a free-choice participation setting. The study's framework was built on theories derived from qualitative data. The investigator observed 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds in a researcher-designed music center where videotapes of sessions were used to analyze data through the constant comparative method. Three theoretical core categories emerged from data analysis: conditions, interactions, and outcomes. The properties of the first core category, which involves preexisting behavioral qualities that influence movement responses, are dispositions, developmental stage, and mode of representation. The properties of the second core category are modeling, describing, and suggesting, which are the overt behaviors of children and teacher that influence movement responses. The properties related to the third core category are music-related movement responses and nonmusic-related movement responses. The primary result of the study was the generation of a substantive theory of children's movement responses to music. The author also derived implications of the seven propositions for early childhood education and movement responses to music.