Monday, February 23, 2009
Socio-Economic Status
In American culture, individuals and groups are stratified into social statuses generally based upon wealth, occupation and education. This socio-economic status (SES) is relevant to music educators because it affects the kinds of music people know and like.
Abeles, Hoffer and Klotman (1995) describe three reasons for differences in musical preferences based upon SES. First, people with higher SES display a “deferred gratification pattern” in their music tastes, whereas peoples with lower social status do not (p. 128). This suggests that upper-SES people would be more interested in art music and that lower-SES people would want music that is “simple and direct.” A second reason cited is cultural reinforcement within the SES group. Regular exposure to certain types of music is positively correlated to musical preference; children grow up hearing music that their parents and friends usually from the same SES prefer, thus perpetuating a preference cycle within a social stratus. Thirdly, the authors point out the “comfort factor,” in which people not only like what they’re familiar with but also feel “more comfortable and confident with it” (pp. 129-130). Folkways associated with musical performances often play a large role in this third factor.
The implications of social stratification affecting musical preferences are immense for music educators. Abeles et al. (1995) cite four considerations. One, music educators should be understanding of differences in SES when schools are made up almost entirely of one SES group. Two, music educators should understand their obligation to include art music in the curriculum since school is the only place many children will ever experience it. Three, music educators can make students comfortable with art music, hopefully negating the SES “comfort factor” musical taste predictor (p. 129). Fourth, music educators should try to teach students to value music that doesn’t supply instant gratification, therefore eliminating another SES factor in influencing musical preferences.
Abeles, H. F., Hoffer, C. R., & Klotman, R. H. (1995). Foundations of music education (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.
Abeles, Hoffer and Klotman (1995) describe three reasons for differences in musical preferences based upon SES. First, people with higher SES display a “deferred gratification pattern” in their music tastes, whereas peoples with lower social status do not (p. 128). This suggests that upper-SES people would be more interested in art music and that lower-SES people would want music that is “simple and direct.” A second reason cited is cultural reinforcement within the SES group. Regular exposure to certain types of music is positively correlated to musical preference; children grow up hearing music that their parents and friends usually from the same SES prefer, thus perpetuating a preference cycle within a social stratus. Thirdly, the authors point out the “comfort factor,” in which people not only like what they’re familiar with but also feel “more comfortable and confident with it” (pp. 129-130). Folkways associated with musical performances often play a large role in this third factor.
The implications of social stratification affecting musical preferences are immense for music educators. Abeles et al. (1995) cite four considerations. One, music educators should be understanding of differences in SES when schools are made up almost entirely of one SES group. Two, music educators should understand their obligation to include art music in the curriculum since school is the only place many children will ever experience it. Three, music educators can make students comfortable with art music, hopefully negating the SES “comfort factor” musical taste predictor (p. 129). Fourth, music educators should try to teach students to value music that doesn’t supply instant gratification, therefore eliminating another SES factor in influencing musical preferences.
Abeles, H. F., Hoffer, C. R., & Klotman, R. H. (1995). Foundations of music education (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.
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