Audio stimuli for musical memory experiment

This study investigates the effects of cultural background and musical tradition on musical memory and perceptions of well-formedness among Maltese and South Korean participants. A total of 72 participants (33 Maltese, 39 South Korean) were tested on their ability to remember Western classical music (WCM) and Korean traditional music (KTM). Results revealed no significant interaction effect between musical tradition and cultural background on musical memory, likely due to the limited sample size. However, South Korean participants significantly outperformed Maltese participants in remembering KTM, while both groups performed similarly on WCM. Additionally, Maltese participants rated WCM as more well-formed than South Koreans, yet both groups rated KTM similarly. Significant effects for both musical tradition and cultural background on well-formedness ratings were found, with an interaction effect indicating that cultural origin influenced well-formedness perceptions. These findings highlight the impact of enculturation on musical memory and well-formedness. Though it does not fully explain cross-cultural differences, this study underscores the importance of cultural exposure in cognitive development and memory research and calls for future studies to include larger samples and explore additional factors influencing musical memory.