Abstract

Humans have a unique interest in music that emerges remarkably early in life. Starting with the early caregiver-infant interactions, musical input is prevalent, especially in social contexts. Recent research suggests that the social ramifications of music are evident early in development such that music not only is an important element in the social and emotional communication between the caregiver and the infant, but its effects extend to broader contexts where music facilitates cooperation and social bonding in infancy and childhood through different mechanisms. This chapter will cover recent studies examining the role of shared music experiences in guiding social preferences and inferences in infancy and childhood. The social, cultural and educational implications of these research findings will also be discussed.