Arabic-speaking U.S. college students' comprehension of English emotional tone: A psychological anthropological approach
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Brendan Muir Bombaci
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Snodgrass, Jeffrey G.
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Colorado State University
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2016
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
215
GENERAL NOTES
Text of Note
Committee members: Browne, Katherine E.; Thaut, Michael H.
NOTES PERTAINING TO PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC.
Text of Note
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-339-94479-1
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
M.A.
Discipline of degree
Anthropology
Body granting the degree
Colorado State University
Text preceding or following the note
2016
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Emotional tone in Western languages (i.e., the Germanic and Romance group) is influenced by the Western musical scale. Studies have shown that as differences increase between Western and non-Western languages, overall comprehension of emotional gesture and emotional tone decreases (the "linguistic proximity" hypothesis), though ratios between percentages of perception correctness for different emotions is fairly universal (the "in-group advantage hypothesis"), revealing cross-cultural mechanisms that obscure or reveal certain emotions to outsiders. Training in Western music helps Western children and non-Western youth and adults to better recognize Western emotional tone. Social Anxiety and Major Depression have been correlated with reduced emotional tone comprehension, and music therapy is known to relieve these disorders' symptomology. For Westerners and non-Westerners alike, musical exposure and training may help not only emotional tone proficiency but also mental well-being.
TOPICAL NAME USED AS SUBJECT
Linguistics; Social psychology; Sociolinguistics
UNCONTROLLED SUBJECT TERMS
Subject Term
Language, literature and linguistics;Social sciences;Psychology;Arabic;Emotional tone;English;Music;Prosody;Social anxiety