Effects of metronomic sounds on a self-paced tapping task in budgerigars and humans.

ABSTRACT: The origin of rhythmic synchronization or entrainment to a musical beat in animals has been widely discussed. Parrots are suitable animals to examine the relationship between the capability of vocal learning and spontaneous rhythmic synchronization. In this study, budgerigars Melopsittacus undulatus learned to tap (peck) 2 keys alternately at a self-paced rate. Then, the metronomic sounds were played in the background during test sessions while the birds were performing the key pecking task, although they were not required to synchronize tap timing with the metronome. We found modest but significant effects of the metronome rhythms on the tap timing in some subjects. We also tested humans Homo sapiens using almost the same method. In contrast to the birds, a number of human subjects synchr

SUBMITTER: Seki Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6347061 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature