EXPECTANCY IN MELODY - TESTS OF THE IMPLICATION REALIZATION MODEL

The implication-realization model's description of tone-to-tone expect ancies for continuations of melodies was examined. The model's predict ions for expectancies are described with a small number of principles specified precisely in terms of interval size and direction of pitch. These principles were quantified and used to predict the data from thr ee experiments in which listeners were required to judge how well indi vidual test tones continued melodic fragments. The model successfully predicted listeners' judgments across different musical styles (Britis h and Chinese folk songs and Webern Lieder), regardless of the extent of listeners' musical training (Experiments 1 and 2) or whether they w ere born and raised in China or the U.S.A. (Experiment 3). For each ex periment, however, the collinearity of the model's predictors indicate d that a simplified version of the model might predict the data equall y well. Indeed, a revised and simplified model did not result in a los s of predictive power for any of the three experiments. Convergent evi dence was provided in a reanalysis of data reported by Carlsen (1981) and Unyk and Carlsen (1987), whose listeners were required to sing con tinuations to two-tone stimuli. Thus, these findings indicate that the implication-realization model is over-specified. The consistency that was found across experimental tasks, musical styles, and listeners ra ises the possibility, however, that the revised version of the model m ay withstand the original model's claims of universality.