RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS WEBSITE, HTTP://WWW.UCPRESSJOURNALS.COM/REPRINTINFO.ASP. DOI:10.1525/MP.2010.27.3.197 Nonperformance Music Engagement and Verbal Memory 197

significantly better verbal memory abilities than do non-musicians. In this study, we examined whether forms of music engagement other than formal music training might also predict verbal memory performance. Gender, socioeconomic status, and music performance variables were controlled in the main study; IQ was also assessed for a subset of participants. While perform-ance musicianship remained a stronger predictor of verbal learning and memory, convincing evidence is presented that nonperformance music engagement (lis-tening activity) also predicted verbal memory meas-ures. The role of music engagement was independent of control factors both in the main study results and in the subset. The findings highlight the need for a more extensive conceptualization of musicianship in research that examines the impact of music on cognitive per-formance