Dimensionality in High School Student Participants' Perceptions of the Meaning of

Choral Singing Experience

Author(s): John B. Hylton
Source: Journal of Research in Music Education , Winter, 1981, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Winter,
1981), pp. 287-303
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3345005

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 JRME, VOLUME 29, NUMBER 4, PAGES 287-303 287

The purpose of the present study was to investigate high school participants' views of
the meaning of high school choral singing experience. For the purposes of this study,
meaning is defined as a psychological construct with cognitive and affective aspects,
manifested overtly through behavior, reflecting an individual's evaluation and valua-
tion of an experience. A further purpose was to determine the efficacy of a multidi-
mensional conceptualization of the meaning construct. A Likert-type scale was devel-
oped and administered to 673 high school choral students in 14 ensembles. Principal
components factor analysis with oblique rotation yielded six interpretable factors in
the meaning of high school choral singing experience. These dimensions were labeled
achievement, spiritualistic, musical-artistic, communicative, psychological, and inte-
grative. The results of the present study appear to confirm the validity of a multidi-
mensional conceptualization of the meaning construct.

John B. Hylton University of Missouri, St. Louis

Dimensionality in High School

Student Participants'
Perceptions of the Meaning
of Choral Singing Experience
A fundamental assumption of American music educators has been that their
programs provide student participants with meaningful experiences. Various
views have been advanced regarding the values, functions, or meaningfulness
of music and music instruction, and educational strategies have been devised to
facilitate meaningful music education experiences for participants. The notion
that music educators and instructional programs in music exert a salutary
influence upon students has resulted in extensive research into student atti-
tudes regarding musical phenomena of many kinds.
Nevertheless, little empirical data have been published concerning students'
perceptions of the meaning of music education in general, or more specifically,

Requests for reprints should be sent to John B. Hylton, Music Department, University of Mis-
souri, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis 63121.
This article is based on the author's doctoral dissertation, The Meaning of High School Choral
Experience and its Relationship to Selected Variables, (the Pennsylvania State University, Univer-
sity Park, 1980).

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288 HYLTON
of high school choral singing. The value of music education experiences for
individuals is intimately connected with their perceptions of the meaningful-
ness of such experiences. To understand more fully the needs of individual
students, information concerning attitudes toward the meaningfulness of in-
struction is required.
People are unique and they respond to situations idiosyncratically (Allport,
1955, p. 22). The diversity of meanings that individuals ascribe to phenomena
is crucial to educators. Rogers (1969) describes two types of learning along a
continuum of meaning: meaningless learning, such as the memorization of
nonsense syllables, and meaningful learning, which has some significance for
the learner (pp. 3-4). The importance of making educational experiences as
meaningful as possible is further supported in Rogers' description of significant
learning. He maintains that significant learning has a quality of personal in-
volvement, is self-initiated, pervasive, and is evaluated by the learner as to
whether it is meeting his or her needs. Leonhard and House (1972) state that:

Without meaning there can be no learning. The meaning may be obscure or

scanty, or it may be of an entirely different order than we intend it to be, but
meaning of some kind is an essential ingredient of learning. (p. 122)

Wight (1971) maintains that perception of meaning influences many aspects

of personality:

If something is not meaningful to a person, he is not likely to develop concerns,

interests, or attitudes toward it, and it is not likely to be incorporated in his system
of constructs, beliefs, values, goals, ambitions, etc. (p. 10)

For the purposes of this study, meaning is defined as a psychological con-

struct with cognitive and affective aspects, manifested overtly through behav-
ior, reflecting an individual's evaluation and valuing of an experience.
Historically, music education programs in the public schools have been justi-
fied for many reasons, both musical and nonmusical, usually based upon the
author's notion of the value or meaning of musical experiences in the class-
room. According to Andrews and Cockerville (1958), there are extramusical
values to be gained from participation in school performing groups, such as
learning to assume responsibility, to cooperate with others, and to develop
leadership (p. 161).
Advocates of aesthetic education view meaningful music instruction in terms
of aesthetic interaction. Two notable proponents of aesthetic education are
Reimer and Knieter. Both maintain (Knieter, 1971; Reimer, 1970) that the
most important purpose of music education programs is to provide students
with aesthetic experiences.
Recently, the need for systematic evaluation of the results of music instruc-
tion has received much attention in educational journals and at conferences,
prompting the appearance of numerous publications concerning goals, objec-
tives, evaluation, and accountability (Boyle, 1974; Colwell, 1970; Labuta,
1974; Whybrew, 1971). Conferences, such as the Yale Seminar (Palisca, 1963),
the Tanglewood Symposium (Choate, 1968), and the Rockefeller Panel (Rock-
efeller, 1977), have discussed the proper results of student participation in
music.

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 JRME 289

The evaluation of affective responses to music education programs has been

a concern for the profession in recent years. Colwell discusses the taxonomy of
affective objectives of Krathwohl, Bloom, and Masia in terms of musical behav-
iors (1964, pp. 173-177). Ernst and Gary (1965) discuss the outcomes of music
in general education in terms of skills, understandings, and attitudes (pp. 4-8).
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (Norris and Bowes, 1973)
sought to evaluate achievement of affective objectives, among others, of musi-
cal instruction. Leonhard and House (1972) stress the importance of making
instruction meaningful for participants.
Despite this concern on the part of the music education profession with the
affective results of music instruction and their evaluation, a need exists for
research relating to student perception of the meaning or value of musical
experiences in the public schools. The present study sought to investigate the
meaning of high school choral experience for participants.
Although experts have stressed the importance of providing meaningful mu-
sical experiences, and numerous theories of meaning have been posited, little is
known about how students view their participation in high school choral en-
sembles. The present study sought to obtain this information. By assessing
students' attitudes toward the meaning of choral experience, educators should
be able to identify and meet the needs of individual participants. Moreover,
this information may prove useful in justifying the importance of high school
choral music programs.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the mean

school choral experience for student participants. Specifically, the
amined the following questions: (1) What do members of selected h
choral ensembles perceive as the meaning of choral singing exp
there exist underlying dimensions in the meaning construct? (2) If
dimensions are found to exist in student perceptions of the meani
singing experience, what are the interrelationships of those dimen

PROCEDURES

This investigation involved the development, testing, and admin

an instrument for ascertaining high school student participants' pe
the meaning of choral singing experience. This procedure was bas
of Gorlow and Schroeder (1968), who developed statements con
meaning of religion in a similar fashion. Farrell (1972) used this p
generate items for a Q-sort in her study of the meaning of recre
rience in music for urban adults.
A prepilot study was conducted in April and May 1978 and included partici-
pants in three central-Pennsylvania high school choruses. Each subject was
asked to respond in written form to the following open-ended question:

As a member of your high school choral group you are a person who sings because
this experience means something to you. We are trying to find out what it is about
this experience that is meaningful for you. Would you list below what this singing
experience means to you and the part singing plays in your life?

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290 HYLTON

The use of an open-ended question for this phase of the study was adopted
because of the wide range of responses it permitted. Although no particular
response was encouraged, subjects were urged to respond thoughtfully, hon-
estly, and completely. The 189 subjects generated 420 responses that pre-
liminary review reduced to 62 relatively unambiguous statements of meaning.
These statements were revised by the investigator for unity of wording and
clarity, and cast into infinitive form, producing items such as "to enrich musi-
cal knowledge," "to give others a message through my singing," "to show off the
potential God gave me," or "to get a sense of accomplishment."
The statements seemed to be subsumed into four broad underlying catego-
ries of meaning: psychological, communicative, integrative, and musical-
artistic. These categories were defined as follows:

* Psychological- Statements relating to development of self were included in this

category. Choral experience is meaningful insofar as one achieves personal satis-
faction and growth from it in an existential way. Statements in this category
indicate that choral experience is meaningful in that it helps to make one aware
of his or her identity.
* Communicative- Statements in this category involve reaching out to others.
These statements concerned the expression of ideas and feelings to an audience.
* Integrative- Statements in this group reflect a desire to participate in and in-
teract with the group. This category reflects the social aspects of choral partici-
pation. Statements were included that indicated that choral participation fulfills
a need to be with others.

* Musical-A rtistic-- Statements in this category involved musical growth. Develop-

ment of self occurs through the drawing in of musical knowledge. Choral partici-
pation is meaningful insofar as it affords opportunities for musical growth and
development.

The selection of statements for inclusion in the pilot study was based upon
two criteria. First, an assortment of statements representing each of the four
categories defined above was included in the pilot version of the Choral Mean-
ing Survey. Second, the writings of aestheticians and educational philosophers
concerning the meaning of choral experience were considered. Based on these
two criteria, it appeared to the investigator that a fifth category of statements
needed to be included in the pilot study. There were two primary reasons for
this: first, the review of literature revealed strong support (Merriam, 1964, and
Gaston, 1968) for the notion that experiences with music have a religious or
spiritual meaning for participants, and second, some statements generated by
the prepilot, though primarily communicative or psychological, seemed to
have religious or spiritual aspects. Therefore, a fifth category of statements was
defined:

* Spiritualistic- These statements reflect religious reasons for choral participa-

tion. Statements in this catagory reflect a feeling that singing and communicat-
ing with an audience are religious or spiritual experiences, or ways of expressing
spiritual thoughts or feelings.

Seventy-two statements were included in the pilot version of the Choral

Meaning Survey (62 statements from the prepilot, as well as ten spiritual state-
ments from the Farrell study previously cited). A Likert-type rating scale was

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 JRME 291

was constructed, containing a random assortment of items representative of the

five categories defined earlier. Each statement was rated on a five point con-
tinuum (strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, strongly disagree) accord-
ing to how well it expressed the meaningfulness of choral singing experience for
each respondent. This scale was piloted at four Pennsylvania senior high
schools in the spring of 1970, with 251 subjects participating in the study. To
verify the existence of underlying dimensions in the responses to the survey, the
results were factor analyzed. Principal components analysis was performed and
seven factors were selected for oblique rotation.
The existence of the five factor categories predicted on the basis of the litera-
ture review and the results of the prepilot was verified. A sixth factor category
also was identified. The new factor category was related to students' fulfillment
of a need for achievement through experiences in choral music. The criterion
used for inclusion of a statement in a particular factor category was a loading of
at least .30. The remaining factor in the seven factor oblique solution con-
tained only one item that met the .30 criterion. Therefore only six of the factors
were identified and interpreted. Also, the factor pattern matrix was carefully
examined to ascertain the presence of a simple structure. This means that, in
addition to meeting the .30 criterion for inclusion in a particular category,
each item was examined to determine whether loadings on other factors were
low, indicating that the item was primarily related to a particular factor and no
other. Items that were ambiguous or otherwise problematic were adjusted or
eliminated from the revised version of the survey.

Validity and Reliability

Validation of a measuring instrument involves empirical investigation and,

according to Nunnally (1967),

is a matter of degree rather than an all-or-none property. ... One validates not a
measuring instrument, but rather some use to which the instrument is put. ...
Psychological measures serve three major purposes: (1) establishment of a func-
tional relationship with a particular variable, (2) representation of a specified
universe of content, and (3) measurement of psychological traits. Corresponding to
these are three types of validity: (1) predictive validity, (2) content validity, and (3)
construct validity. (pp. 75, 76)

For the purposes of the present study, content and construct validity will be
discussed, since the instrument is intended to measure a universe of content and
to measure psychological traits.
Content validity was enhanced by the investigator's use of the prepilot study
to generate items for the Choral Meaning Survey. The use of open-ended ques-
tions presented to a sample of subjects similar to those in the main study,
supplemented by gleanings from the pertinent literature, helped to insure that
the survey was a valid measure of the universe of meanings of choral expe-
rience.

Construct validity of the survey was enhanced through factor analysis

from the pilot study. Principal components analysis with oblique rotatio
vealed the relationships of the variables (statements) in the survey to va
psychological constructs of interest. Those items whose relationships

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292 HYLTON
factors were too low to insure their validity were discarded.
To test the reliabilities for the items in each of the six factor categories
interpreted in the pilot study, reliabilities were computed for each scale (factor
category) using Cronbach's Alpha formula (Cronbach, 1951). Use of this for-
mula is discussed and supported by Nunnally (pp. 194-198). The reliability
coefficient for each factor category is presented in Table 1.

Table 1-Reliability Coefficient for Each Factor Category

Factor Reliability Coefficient

Spiritual .95
Achievement .93

Psychological .87
Communicative .87

Integrative .90
Musical-Artistic .90

The main study was co

ing Survey was admin
bles. Evidence concerni
experience was determ
principal components a
a solution that would r
meaning of high schoo
larly appropriate becau
obliqueness in the dim
at Examination Service
the analyses was acco
Sciences (Nie, Hull, Jen
nia State University C

RESULTS

To facilitate explication of the results of the study, the following

the factor analysis are discussed: (1) the unrotated factor structur
oblique rotation factor pattern, and (3) the interrelationships amo
tors.

The Unrotated Factor Structure

Several criteria were used for determining the numbers of factors to extract
for rotation. The eigenvalues of the principal components were examined to
determine the point at which the additional variance explained by succeeding
components were negligible. Cattell's screen test was performed to provide
further evidence of a leveling off of variance explanation by succeeding compo-
nents. Finally, and most importantly, the components were examined in terms
of interpretability and theoretical plausibility.
The first step of the data analysis involved a principal components factor
analysis of the intercorrelations of the items from the Choral Meaning Survey
wherein all 70 principal components were extracted and examined to ascertain

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 JRME 293

the variance explained by each and the size of the corresponding characteristic
roots, or eigenvalues. Using the criteria explained above, seven factors, ac-
counting for 50.8% of the total variance, were selected for oblique rotation.
The unrotated factor structure is presented in Table 2. A first generic factor
(Factor 1) accounts for 59.4% of the common variance. All of the items from
the survey loaded relatively highly on this factor. The presence of this strong
generic factor in the unrotated structure is an indication of the interrelatedness
of the dimensions.

Table 2-Unrotated Factor Structure

Factors
Fl F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

Statement 1 .42
Statement 2 .45
Statement 3 .43
Statement 4 .50
Statement 5 .52
Statement 6 .29
Statement 7 .39
Statement 8 .45
Statement 9 .36
Statement 10 .48
Statement 11 .44 .35
Statement 12 .52
Statement 13 .54
Statement 14 .42
Statement 15 .57
Statement 16 .42
Statement 17 .52
Statement 18 .50
Statement 19 .51
Statement 20 .46
Statement 21 .56
Statement 22 .48
Statement 23 .55
Statement 24 .56
Statement 25 .39 .33
Statement 26 .46 .31
Statement 27 .55
Statement 28 .46
Statement 29 .56
Statement 30 .43
Statement 31 .57 .31
Statement 32 .53
Statement 33 .60
Statement 34 .49
Statement 35 .53 .32
Statement 36 .52
Statement 37 .56
Statement 38 .59
Statement 39 .55
Statement 40 .53 .89

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294 HYLTON
Factors
1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

Statement 41 .58
Statement 42 .59
Statement 43 .36
Statement 44 .57
Statement 45 .51 .35
Statement 46 .53 .35 .42
Statement 47 .57 .34
Statement 48 .60
Statement 49 .51
Statement 50 .48
Statement 51 .52
Statement 52 .53
Statement 53 .62 .31
Statement 54 .58
Statement 55 .52
Statement 56 .61
Statement 57 .58
Statement 58 .61
Statement 59 .54
Statement 60 .54
Statement 61 .60
Statement 62 .59
Statement 63 .49
Statement 64 .57
Statement 65 .54
Statement 66 .57
Statement 67 .47
Statement 68 .58
Statement 69 .59
Statement 70 .47

Common Variance 59.4% 15.2 8.9 5.5 4.6 3.4 3.0

Total Variance 27.8% 7.5 4.8 3.3 2.8 2.3 2.2
Eigenvalue 19.46 5.2 3.38 2.33 1.99 1.63 1.5
Factor loadings less than .30 not reported.

Oblique Rotation of Factors

To simplify the factor loading pattern, seven fa

oblique solution using a direct oblimin criterion a
loading as evidence that an item was related to a p
procedures tend to reduce the loadings of items c
unrotated factor as well as to each other. The resul
found in Table 3.
The seven-factor solution with oblique rotation resulted in the clearest and
most logically interpretable factor structure. However, one of the seven factors
(Factor 6 in the factor pattern matrix) contained only two items that met the
.30 criterion, each of which also loaded moderately on one of the other six

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 JRME 295
Table 3-Factor Pattern Matrix

Factors
Fl F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

Achieve- Spiritual- Musical- Communi- Psycho- Inte- Commu-

ment istic Artistic cative logical grative * nality
Statement 1 .41 .34
Statement 2 .62 .45
Statement 3 .61 .39
Statement 4 .38 .39
Statement 5 .39 .41
Statement 6 .38 .25
Statement 7 .40 .29
Statement 8 .36 .40
Statement 9 .31 .39 .30
Statement 10 .60 .47
Statement 11 .57 .43
Statement 12 .49 .32 .46
Statement 13 .50 .41
Statement 14 .23
Statement 15 .70 .60
Statement 16 .49 .37
Statement 17 .35 .35
Statement 18 .70 .49
Statement 19 .52 .39
Statement 20 .41 .39
Statement 21 .87 .75
Statement 22 .68 .57
Statement 23 .34 .41
Statement 24 .50 .49
Statement 25 .57 .37
Statement 26 .71 .48
Statement 27 .84 .71
Statement 28 .59 .40
Statement 29 .37 .39
Statement 30 .49 .35
Statement 31 .50 .46
Statement 32 .31
Statement 33 .36 .44
Statement 34 .30 .32
Statement 35 .52 .46
Statement 36 .43 .31 .51
Statement 37 .31 .41
Statement 38 .83 .71
Statement 39 .45 .42
Statement 40 .37 .41
Statement 41 .46 .45
Statement 42 .76 .67
Statement 43 .18
Statement 44 .37 .40
Statement 45 .64 .56
Statement 46 .70 .63
Statement 47 .60 .53

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296 HYLTON

Factors
Fl F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

Achieve- Spiritual- Musical- Communi- Psycho- Inte- Commu-

ment istic Artistic cative logical grative * nality

Statement 48 .88 .83

Statement 49 .71 .52
Statement 50 .75 .53
Statement 51 .34 .40
Statement 52 .43 .37 .41
Statement 53 .44 .37 .56
Statement 54 .38 .41
Statement 55 .41 .36
Statement 56 .34 .41 .51
Statement 57 .32 .41
Statement 58 .45 .44
Statement 59 .50 .46
Statement 60 .71 .53
Statement 61 .76 .64
Statement 62 .49 .49
Statement 63 .49 .46
Statement 64 .57 .46
Statement 65 .32 .37
Statement 66 .86 .71
Statement 67 .34 .42
Statement 68 .43 .47
Statement 69 .32 .51
Statement 70 .40 .36 .43

Factor loadings less than

F7 is not interpreted. Onl

factors. Therefore, on
matrix) are interpret
onal and oblique, were
priate.
Six clearly delineated factors emerged as a result of this procedure, confirm-
ing the pattern found in the analysis of the pilot study data. The items meeting
the .30 criterion for each dimension, as well as a brief definition for each
dimension, are listed below in the order of their position in the factor pattern
matrix.
A chievement. Statements that loaded highly on this factor were reflective of
a need on the part of students to, as one subject in the prepilot stated, "try,
succeed, and get better." Music provides opportunities for achievement in non-
competitive situations. Gratification gained through music is a byproduct of
achievement per se rather than competition. The self-esteem that results from
musical accomplishment may contribute greatly to an individual's sense of
well-being resulting in feelings of accomplishment, success, and pride. The
statements that loaded above the .30 criterion on this factor included:

Statement Loading
11. To get a sense of accomplishment .57
12. To give me a good feeling inside .49

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 JRME 297

13. To please people with our singing .50

33. To try, succeed, and get better .36
39. To feel a sense of pride .45
40. To present good concerts .37
41. To work together to achieve a goal .46
51. To feel rewarded .34
52. To have people hear th
of a lot of hard work .43
53. To contribute to a group effort .44
57. To feel the satisfaction of practicing
long hours and getting results .31
68. To be part of something good .43
69. To have the excitement and thrill of
presenting concerts .32

Spiritualistic. Statements that loaded h

or spiritual meanings of the high scho
discusses the relationship between mus
of religious systems through music th
224-225). Gaston discusses common pur
performances. Among these commona
ena for drawing people together, the
loneliness, and the practice of each as a
(p. 23). The results of this study ten
dimension in musical experiences. Th
criterion on this factor included:

Statement Loading
2. To give people spiritual messages .62
5. To give others a message through my singing .39
9. To show off the potential God gave me '.31
15. To fulfill God's call for me .70
21. To praise God for all his blessings .87
22. To convert people to a better way of life .68
27. To bring people to Christ .84
38. To bring the joy of God to sad hearts .83
42. To experience spiritual uplift .76
56. To help make the world a better place
to live in .34
61. To share God's gift to me .76
66. To worship God through music .86

Musical-Artistic. Statements that loaded highly on th

drawing in of musical knowledge. Choral participation
insofar as it affords opportunities for musical growth
programs traditionally have been evaluated along this
awareness of musical events is viewed as meaningful a
certain sense, the meaning of high school choral sin
viewed as inherent in the music itself. Activities of the

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298 HYLTON

heightening perception of musical phenomena and a means of developing one's

own musicianship. The statements that loaded above the .30 criterion on this
factor included:

Statement Loading
1. To enrich my musical knowledge .41
7. To sing many different kinds of music .40
8. To learn how to control my voice .36
20. To train my ear .41
28. To learn to appreciate all kinds of music .59
29. To develop my self-discipline .37
36. To develop my musical talent .43
37. To learn to sing some new songs well .31
44. To enjoy being part of many voices
blending together .37
49. To experience musical art .71
50. To discover styles and patterns in music .75
53. To contribute to a group effort .37
54. To understand why other people love music .38
55. To learn to sing parts other than the melody .41
57. To feel the satisfaction of practicing
long hours and getting results .32
58. To help other people enjoy music .45
60. To learn to appreciate the arts .71
64. To express a composer's words and thoughts
contained in his music .57
65. To learn to sing songs well .32

Communicative. Statements that loaded highly on

volved reaching out to others. These statements con
feelings and ideas to an audience. Merriam speaks of
of music. Music can convey emotion or something si
who understand its idiom (p. 219). The results of thi
view that music provides a vehicle for nonverbal com
a potent, valuable, and meaningful aspect of high s
rience. The statements that loaded above the .30 criterion on this factor in-
cluded:

Statement Loading
6. To prepare for a musical career .37
9. To show off the potential God gave me .39
17. To sing well for others .35
25. To get out in front of a crowd and sing .57
30. To communicate so well with an audience that
they applaud .49
31. To share my talent with others .50
35. To perform for others .52
36. To develop my musical talent .31
45. To have others listen to me .64

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 JRME 299

Psychological. Statements that loaded highly on this factor were introspec-

tive and related to the development of self. Choral experience is viewed as
meaningful insofar as one achieves personal satisfaction from it. Choral singing
experiences provide a means of exploring one's own identity and determining
individual strengths and limitations. Knowledge of self gained through musical
experiences may lead to an enhanced self-concept and sense of worth. The
statements that loaded above the .30 criterion on this factor included:

Statements Loading
4. To find out who I am .38
12. To give me a good feeling inside .32
16. To relax and forget my problems for awhile .49
23. To have an experience full of feeling .34
24. To help me be at peace with myself .50
46. To help make life go by easier .70
47. To feel more at ease .60
56. To help make the world
live in .41
62. To help me get to know myself better .50

Integrative. Statements that loaded highly on this factor characteri

meaningfulness of choral singing experience in terms of participating
interacting with the group. High school choral singing is viewed as m
in terms of the social aspects of the experience. Merriam states th
contributes to the integration of society by providing an experience
members of society gather to engage in activities requiring the coopera
coordination of the group (p. 227). As Gaston contends, musical ex
provide opportunities for interaction in intimate yet ordered and socia
able ways (p. 27). Statements that loaded above the .30 criterion on th
included:

Statement Loading
3. To work with other people .61
10. To learn to get along with other people .60
18. To meet new people .70
19. To be with a great group of people .52
26. To make and enjoy good friends .71
59. To be part of a very close group of friends .50
63. To have a good time with the rest of the group .49
70. To be with chorus people .39

Three items (14, 32, and 43) from the Choral Me

the minimum criterion for relationship to any of
36, 53, 56, and 57) were found to be moderately re
loadings ranging from .30 to .49. These items ther
factors in the foregoing list. Item 9, for example ("
gave me"), appears in both the spiritual and comm
elements of each dimension are present in the state
the communicative, while "God-given potentia

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300 HYLTON
meaningfulness. Each of the remaining 60 items loaded on only one factor.
Responses to both the pilot and final versions of the Choral Meaning Survey
were highly positive in terms of the meaning of each item on the agreement-
disagreement continuum of the Likert-type scale. The means of the subjects on
each factor category are listed in Table 4 (strongly agree - 5, strongly disagree
= 1).

Table 4-Means of Subjects on Each Factor Category

Factor Category X
Achievement 4.08

Spiritualistic 3.18
Musical-Artistic 3.97
Communicative 3.54
Psychological 3.48
Integrative 3.93
Strongly Agree =
Agree = 4
Undecided = 3

Disagree = 2
Strongly Disagree = 1

Intercorrelations Among Factors

Although the oblique factor pattern matrix clearly delinea

dimensions in the meaning of choral singing, the interrelat
dimensions suggest a considerable departure from orthogon
relations among the factors are presented in Table 5.
The correlations between the factors range from .17 bet
artistic and psychological dimensions to .49 between the ach
grative dimensions. All of the dimensions are positively rela
confirm the presence of the generic factor evident in the u

Table 5-Factor Intercorrelations

Fl F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

Factor 1 1.00
Factor 2 0.25 1.00
Factor 3 0.42 0.28 1.00
Factor 4 0.38 0.25 0.38 1.00
Factor 5 0.30 0.37 0.17 0.23 1.00
Factor 6 0.49 0.33 0.35 0.32 0.37 1.00
Factor 7 0.06 0.04 0.08 0.10 0.05 0.09 1.00

F 1 = Achievement

F 2 = Spiritualistic
F 3 = Musical-Artistic
F 4 = Communicative

F 5 = Psychological
F 6 = Integrative
F 7 = not interpreted - only two statements loaded above .30 on this factor.

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 JRME 301
DISCUSSION

The data presented above suggest several conclusions. Clearly, they

sent evidence that the meaning of choral singing for high school st
ticipants is a multidimensional concept. The six underlying dime
covered through this study have been labeled achievement, spir
musical-artistic, communicative, psychological, and integrative. Alth
six dimensions were clearly differentiated in the oblique rotation so
interrelatedness of the dimensions suggests the presence of a more
mension of meaningfulness, subsuming all of the variables. This not
stantiated further by the high loadings of the variables on the firs
factor, accounting for 59.4% of the common variance. Thus, wh
dimensions are conceptually different, they seem to be tied to a mo
concept of meaningfulness - a global concept of which they may be
subconcepts.
The results of the factor analysis should be encouraging to practicing music
educators in several respects. Responses to the open-ended question posed in
the prepilot were notable for the low number of negative statements. Responses
to both the pilot and final versions of the Choral Meaning Survey were highly
positive in terms of the mean for each item on the agreement-disagreement
continuum of the Likert-type scale. The potential apparently exists for choral
programs to provide meaningful experiences for high school students. If, as
Leonhard and House have suggested, meaning is an essential ingredient for
learning, then this essential ingredient was present for the students surveyed.
The results of this study substantiate the view that there are multiple out-
comes of music education experiences for participants. It does not support a
position wherein only a particular outcome of choral experience is emphasized
to the exclusion of other equally meaningful outcomes. For example, a philoso-
phy of music education whose emphasis is entirely on the musical-aesthetic
outcomes of music education experiences ignores equally meaningful outcomes
related to other dimensions of the meaning construct.
An examination of the intercorrelations of the various dimensions of the
meaning construct reveals that, at least for students in the present study, a
positive correlation exists between the various dimensions. While it is improper
to infer from this a cause-effect relationship, it appears that a student's view of
choral singing as a means of fulfilling a need to achieve may be related to his or
her perception of the importance of musical-artistic aspects of choral music.
The results also lend support to the idea that musical experiences help indi-
viduals to discover their own identity or, as one participant in the prepilot study
stated, "to find out who I am." The creation of a positive self-image may be
encouraged by the fulfillment of the need to achieve. The highest correlation
was between the achievement and integrative factors. It may be conjectured
that students find contribution to a group effort a particularly potent means of
feeling a sense of accomplishment, thus supporting Gaston's position that the
potency of music is greatest in a group situation. The idea that music programs
confer social benefits upon student participants is substantiated empirically.
For some students a meaningful aspect of their high school choral singing is
expressed in terms of the integrative dimension that emphasizes their relation-
ships with other members of the group and resultant feelings of belonging.

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302 HYLTON
Despite debate about the role of sacred music in the public schools, some of
the participants in this study viewed the meaningfulness of high school choral
singing in spiritual terms. The clear differentiation of this dimension is indi-
cated by the high loadings of many of the spiritual items (as high as .87).
For some participants, choral singing appears to provide a means of verbal
and nonverbal communication with an audience. The transmission of feelings
through music is a meaningful aspect of choral participation for high school
students.
Student participants in this study viewed the meaning of high school choral
singing as a multifaceted phenomenon. Music programs traditionally have
been evaluated primarily on the basis of musical knowledge or skills developed
by students as a result of instruction. It appears that the recent emphasis in the
professional literature of music education on the power of music to enhance
students' affective development is well-founded. The results of the present
study support the view that high school choral singing experiences produce
multiple outcomes for participants. The positive correlations among the di-
mensions suggest that, although they are distinct, they are positively related to
varying degrees and may be subsumed by a more generic concept of musical
meaning.

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 JRME 303
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January 4, 1981

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