MULTIVARIATE GENETIC ANALYSIC ON MUSIC TASK PERFORMANCE AND GENERAL COGNITIVE ABILITY

The present study investigated genetic and environmental sources of variation and covariation in tests of musical ability and general cognitive ability obtained from 268 adopted and 352 non-adopted children and their family members participating in the Colorado Adoption Project. 12-year-old children and their rearing parents were tested on three musical ability tests and a psychometric battery of cognitive abilities. Model fitting results from multivariate genetic analysis indicate the variation in both musical ability and general cognitive ability are strongly influenced by genetic factors. There was significant covariation between music task performance and general cognitive ability, which was accounted for entirely by common genetic influences. There was, however, specific genetic variance for musical ability, independent of genetic factors for general cognitive abilities. We also detected significant shared family environmental effect on variations in the general cognitive ability, but not on musical ability. The results support the notion of an innate musical intelligence, although not entirely independent of general intellectual abilities.