Date
5-23-2025
Department
School of Music
Degree
Doctor of Music Education (DME)
Chair
Richard Scott Connell
Keywords
improvisation, rhythmic improvisation, low socioeconomic, affluent, self-efficacy, confidence, gender studies in music
Disciplines
Music
Recommended Citation
Thames, Patrick W., "Self-Perception, Socioeconomic, and Gender Factors in Third Grade Rhythm Improvisation" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6926.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6926
Abstract
This quantitative causal-comparative research design examines differences in rhythmic improvisational skills and self-perception among third graders from different socioeconomic backgrounds. This study includes participants from two different socioeconomic backgrounds: an affluent private elementary school and an elementary school with low socioeconomic status in Pulaski County, Arkansas. (N=32) This study includes the administration of the Rhythmic Improvisational Readiness Record (RIRR), which includes self-perception components and peer evaluation. Researchers use two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine differences in gender and socioeconomic status and analyze causal comparative data that reveal the relationship between self-perceived ability and the participants' actual improvisational skills. This study found no statistically significant difference between individuals' self-rated and actual readiness for rhythmic improvisation. This study reveals the self-efficacy and rhythmic improvisation of different subgroups of third graders, particularly affluent boys, affluent girls, low-socioeconomic-status boys, and low-socioeconomic-status girls. This project fills a notable research gap because it contributes to a broader understanding of improvisational skills and reveals different dynamics between divergent subgroups.
