Rethinking Gestal Onmelodic Exp

The implication-realisation model of melodic expectancy (Narmour, 1990) posits two independent cognitive systems: one which reflects the top-down influences of acquired stylistic knowledge; and another which consists of innate melodic schemata based on the Gestalt principles. While there exists empirical support for both aspects of the model, the results presented here question the need to invoke innate representations to account for observed patterns of melodic expectancy. Gestalt-like patterns of expectancy can be accounted for largely in terms of the induction of statistical regularities in existing repertoires of music.