A Comparison of Auditory Stream Segregation Abilities Between Bharatanatayam Dancers and Carnatic Musicians

Abstract

Aim: The study compares the auditory stream segregation abilities through spectral profile analysis in trained Bharatanatyam dancers and Carnatic musicians. Objectives: To compare auditory stream segregation abilities through spectral profile analysis in trained Bharatanatyam dancers and Carnatic musicians across different frequencies (250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, and 1000 Hz). Method: Ninety participants aged between 18 and 25 years were recruited for this study. They were grouped into three groups: Group I (n = 30) consisted of formally trained Carnatic musicians, Group II (n = 30) comprised of formally trained Bharatanatyam dancers and Group III (n = 30) included individuals without formal training in dance or music. Both Group I and II participants had a minimum of 5 years of training and 10 hours of practice per week. The profile analysis was assessed across four frequencies (250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, and 1000 Hz) using the "mlp" toolbox, which utilizes a maximum likelihood procedure implemented in MATLAB. Results: The results from the MANOVA indicated a significant difference in profile analysis thresholds among Carnatic musicians, Bharatanatyam dancers, and the control group. Post hoc pairwise comparisons using Tukey's test revealed significant differences between the control group and both trained Bharatanatyam dancers and Carnatic musicians. However, significant differences were observed only at 250 Hz when comparing Carnatic musicians to Bharatanatyam dancers. Conclusion: The rhythmic and temporal training inherent in Bharatanatyam dance can lead to enhanced auditory stream segregation, similar to the effects observed in musicians. Understanding these effects can provide valuable insights into the role of different forms of auditory training and their impact on auditory perception and cognitive processing.