An exploration of the mechanism for fetal responses to music from an ecological perspective.

• Project/Area Number: 25560384
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Childhood science (childhood environment science)
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: ADACHI Mayumi 北海道大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (30301823)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KANEUCHI Masanori 北海道大学, 医学研究科, 特任准教授 (60333613) ; HANDA Yasushi 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 客員研究員 (70571785) ; TAGA Masae 北海道文教大学, 人間科学学部, 准教授 (20433138)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000)
• Keywords: 音楽 / 胎児 / 妊婦 / 胎教 / 胎児起源

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We explored how individual differences (e.g., physiological and psychological responses to music, emotional state during music listening, temperament, diet, everyday behaviors) in 78 expectant mothers would influence fetal movements to music during middle to final stages of pregnancy (18-36 weeks GA). We also investigated developmental changes in fetal movements to music in two contexts: when music was presented to the mother through a headphone and when music was presented to the fetus through a speaker with normal amplitude while the mother was listening to an ocean-wave-like noise through a headphone. Music consisted of 12 1-min-long cello pieces. Results showed that approximately 20% of fetuses moved more during music regardless of GA or context. Emotional nuances of music influenced fetal movements at or after 23 weeks GA. Moreover, the fetus tended to move more when the mother was involved in everyday practice including diet and hobbies that could reduce stress.

Research Products

• [Presentation] The development of fetal responses to music based on longitudinal data (2015)
  • Author(s): Chen, L., Adachi, M., Taga, M., Handa, Y., & Minakami, H.,
  • Organizer: The 9th Triennial Conference of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music
  • Place of Presentation: RNCM, Manchester, UK
  • Year and Date: 2015-08-17 – 2015-08-22
• [Presentation] An exploratory study on the fetal movement to music. (2014)
  • Author(s): Chen, L., Adachi, M., Taga, M., Minakami, H., Handa, Y., & Kaneuchi, M.
  • Organizer: The 13th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition
  • Place of Presentation: Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
  • Year and Date: 2014-08-04 – 2014-08-08