Functional and Adaptive Significance of Mobbing and Alarm Calls of the Common Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

This study is an analysis of the functional and adaptive significance of "caw" calls used by common crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) in contexts involving danger. Seven tame birds, including three siblings and several birds familiar to the siblings (i.e., within their sight and hearing), were the subjects of playback experiments. Four types of caws associated with danger were played back as test calls: screams, mixed caws, inflected alarm caws, and alert caws. These four test caws were recorded from each of six different individuals (senders) and played back to the experimental subjects (receivers). The vocalizations of the three sibling receivers were tape recorded during playback trials, and three types of response caws were scored: mixed caws, alert caws, and long caws. By counting caws in each 10 s interval during the 1 min before, 20 s during, and 20 s after playback, the following functional interrelationships among cawtypes were found. Mixed caw responses were elicited immediately by, and only by, screams and mixed caws. These caws are used in harassing a predator, and seem to function in part to assemble and coordinate a mobbing group. Alert caw responses were suppressed over the 20 s during which caws were played back for all types of presentations except those of alert caws, but reached a peak just after playback. Alert caws seem to be multifunctional, probably indicating either mildly threatening objects or cessation of danger. Long caw responses were suppressed during the 20 s presentations of all cawtypes, but reached a peak after scream and mixed caw playbacks. Long caws seem to indicate either cessation of danger or continuation of normal activities. By further subdividing numbers of responses on the basis of social familiarity between senders and receivers, the effect of social relationship on responses was examined. The senders were either siblings of, familiar to (heard and seen only from a distance), or unknown to the receivers. The receivers did not respond more to the voices of senders from any particular social category (G goodness-of-fit tests) although the data were not conclusive. The results are discussed in terms of the information encoded in mobbing and alarm calls, the functions of those calls, and the sources of natural selection which may have shaped the evolution of mobbing and alarm vocalizations

Can the Arts Get Under the Skin? Arts and Cortisol for Economically Disadvantaged Children

This within-subjects experimental study investigated the influence of the arts on cortisol for economically disadvantaged children. Participants were 310 children, ages 3–5 years, who attended a Head Start preschool and were randomly assigned to participate in different schedules of arts and homeroom classes on different days of the week. Cortisol was sampled at morning baseline and after arts and homeroom classes on two different days at start, middle, and end of the year. For music, dance, and visual arts, grouped and separately, results of piecewise hierarchical linear modeling with time-varying predictors suggested cortisol was lower after an arts versus homeroom class at middle and end of the year but not start of the year. Implications concern the impact of arts on cortisol for children facing poverty risks

Afterschool Music Education Program Linked to Social-Emotional Advantages for Children Facing Economic Hardship

Background: The start of the 21st century has hosted decreased access to music education, particularly for children facing economic hardship and children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) (McMurrer, 2007). This is problematic in terms of arts equity and social-emotional benefits children may gain via music participation. The present study examines the impact of an afterschool music education program on social-emotional functioning for elementary school children facing risks related to poverty and racism. Method: Participants were 503 students who attended public elementary schools: 345 students received the Music Education Program (MEP), whereas 158 students enrolled for comparison purposes, did not receive MEP. Of participants, 60.8% were female, and 70.1% Black/African American. Child age ranged from 7 to 14 years (M = 9 yrs, 7 mo). Nearly all children had family income-to-needs ratios falling below the federal threshold for poverty status. Ethical standards were followed, and all procedures were approved by the appropriate IRBs. At start-of-year and end-of-year time points, students completed The Brief™ Problem Monitor (Achenbach, McConaughy, Ivanova, et al., 2011). Results and Implications: Multivariate tests revealed a significant main effect of MEP, and a significant interaction of MEP and time, with MEP students showing greater improvement across the year. Univariate tests indicated a significant interaction of time and MEP for: internalizing, externalizing, and total problems. Although not designed as music therapy, this after school music education program seemed to have something of a therapeutic benefit for participating students

Fulfilling the promise of applied developmental science: Is it time to reconsider our approach?

The promise of applied developmental science is that we can use scientific methods to promote positive human development and improve the lives of children and families. However, the present political environment in the United States makes the creation of research-informed federal policy difficult, even when the evidence supporting a given policy is unequivocal. In this essay, we hope to begin a conversation about how we, as applied developmental scientists, may modify our approach in order to best fulfill the promise of applied developmental science. To begin this conversation, we discuss the potential for establishing long-term partnerships with smaller entities, including state and municipal governments and non-governmental organizations to narrow the gap between what we know about children and families and the policies and programs that impact them. This \u27bottom-up\u27 approach has a long lineage in applied developmental science, and is currently enjoying a renaissance through the burgeoning interest in researcher-practitioner partnerships. Whether implicitly or explicitly, these partnerships often incorporate a systems perspective on children\u27s development; here, we review why embracing a systems perspective may increase the likelihood of crafting policies and programs that can improve the lives of children and families

Music Education Program Linked to Social-Emotional Advantage for Students Facing Economic Hardship

Purpose School success depends on the ability to regulate emotions, behavior, and attention in the service of learning. This study examines the impact of MacPhail’s Learning with Music Program on the development of self-regulatory skills for young children at risk via economic hardship. Design In Learning with Music, MacPhail music teachers visit partner preschool classrooms and model music integration for early childhood educators. We used a two-year, quasi-experimental waitlist control design to examine the impact of Learning with Music on children’s development of self-regulatory skills. In Year 1, both participating preschool programs received their preschool programming as usual, and in Year 2, both participating preschool programs additionally received Learning with Music. Method Ethical standards were followed, and all procedures were approved by the appropriate institutional review boards. The study included 234 preschool children, 104 of whom received Learning with Music and 130 of whom did not. All children were from families facing economic hardship, with income-to-needs ratios less than 2X the federal poverty threshold. Measures included a parent demographic interview and standardized child assessments of the inhibitory control aspect of self-regulation completed at the start, middle, and end of the year. Results Analyses involved latent growth curve modeling to examine initial status and growth in child inhibitory control as a function of receipt of the music program. Learning with Music was associated with greater growth in inhibitory control. The study highlights opportunities for using music to ameliorate negative effects of poverty and promote self-regulatory skill development for young children