Music Perception in Individuals with Audio and Audio-visual Impairment

Abstract

The study was done to analyze the music perception skills of individuals with audio and audio-visual impairment, so as to see how sensory impairments affect the perception of music in isolation and in combination. A test battery was developed which separately assessed different parameters of music such as pitch, rhythm, melody and timbre. Test was done in three groups of subjects: Individuals with normal hearing sensitivity, individuals with sensorineural hearing loss and, individuals with sensorineural hearing loss associated with visual impairment. Results showed that music perception skills in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss were affected. The music perception skills of those with associated visual impairment were superior to those with only hearing loss. This suggests a change in sensory mechanism of hearing (compared to that in individuals with only hearing loss) in individuals with audio visual impairment which is probably due to cortical reorganization.