Suchor/171 THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY COMPOSITION IN APPLIED PIANO GROUPS

A one-session study of six four-student groups investigated problem-solving and performance in piano as influenced by a judging-perceiving personality preference of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Three group types were formed from the freshman music majors of nonkeyboard concentration: predomin-ately judging, predominately perceiving, and equally mixed. The task involved both the harmonization and performance of the melody. Groups were scored on two factors of performance: aesthetic-expressive and accurate. Group process was evaluated by dividing the sessions into time segments and en-coding verbal activity into six problem-solving behaviors. As a measure of student perception, each student completed a questionnaire. No difference was found in performance results; however, each group type developed its own problem-solving process. Significant differences were found in the amount of total verbal activity, specific verbal behavior, and student percep-tion of group process. Data suggest the importance of teacher flexibility in developing an optimal problem-solving process. Key Words: college, group instruction, instrumental music students, per-sonality, psychology, testing, tests. The composition of a group is regarded by piano teachers as a basic parameter in determining the effectiveness of group or class piano instruction. Three variables are generally considered in the composi-tion of a group. The first is homogeneity of achievement, or grouping based on the level of student skill development. The second is homo-geneity of age, or grouping based on age groups, derived from theories of peer-group learning and developmental stages. The third is group size, This study was extracted from a doctoral document written under the direction of Dr. Gu