Cognitive Transfer from Arts Education to Non-arts Outcomes: Research Evidence and Policy Implications
Lois Hetland and Ellen Winner
This chapter reports methods, findings, and implications for
research and policy from 10 meta analytic reviews of the
effects on non-arts cognition from instruction in various art
forms. Three analyses demonstrate generalizable, causal
relationships: classroom drama and verbal achievement, music
listening and spatial reasoning, and music learning and spatial
reasoning. Five do not allow causal conclusions: multi-arts
and academic achievement, arts rich instruction
and creativity, visual arts and reading, dance and reading, music
and reading. Findings for two analyses are equivocal: dance
and spatial reasoning, music and mathematics. The authors
urge arts education researchers to keep research syntheses
in mind when conducting studies and advise policy-makers to
support arts programs that demonstrate learning in the arts. (See
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