ASSAL HABIBI, Ph.D. Associate Research Professor of Psychology, Brain and Creativity Institute, USC
Presentation Synopsis
In her presentation Music & Child Brain Development, Assal Habibi, PhD, discusses insights from a series of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies that explore the impact of musical training on the development of auditory, cognitive, and executive skills during childhood. The studies’ collective results demonstrate that musical training in school-age children leads to improvements in those skills, and—through the use of MRIs and EEGs—they reveal neuroplastic structural and functional changes in the auditory regions associated with those skills.
Habibi’s research also highlights musical training’s positive association with executive function (specifically in terms of inhibition control), manifesting differences in both behavioral outcomes and neural responses. While this suggests that musical training can expedite and support the maturation of auditory, cognitive, and executive skills in childhood, Habibi proposes that the timing of musical training and experiences may be a critical factor when considering a child’s response to intervention and that the trajectory of change may vary significantly depending on a child’s individual characteristics and developmental stage.
About Assal Habibi, PhD
Assal Habibi is an associate research professor of psychology and the director of the Center for Music, Brain, and Society at the University of Southern California. Her interdisciplinary research explores the impact of the arts—particularly music—on health and human development. She investigates how innate biological factors and experiential learning shape the development of cognitive, emotional, and social abilities across one’s lifespan.
Habibi has been a principal investigator on several innovative studies, including projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). An expert in electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, her work extensively employs longitudinal and cross-sectional models to examine the effects of integrating music-based activities into school curricula and elder care, especially for those from underserved communities. Her research not only highlights the essential role of the arts in education but also explores the therapeutic potential of music for individuals across different age groups, including the elderly.