Resumen de Theoretical Frameworks Applied in Music Education Research: A Content Analysis of the "Journal of Research in Music Education", 1979 to 2009
The aims of this study were to determine which theoretical frameworks have been employed in music education research and which academic fields of knowledge have had an influence on music education research. Studies published in the JRME between 1979 and 2009 (N = 726) were coded to determine: (a) whether each article cited a theoretical framework related to the respective problem under investigation or not; (b) the emphasis area of the study (e.g., sample characteristic); and (c) the academic field of knowledge in which the theory was generated. Cady's (1992) definition of theory was used to develop the codes: "a logical deductive relationship among declarative sentences whose propositional quality yields the attitude found in statements of belief that offer an explanation of a phenomenon" (p. 62). Intercoder agreement across categories was excellent (96%). Thirty-two percent of all articles cited a theoretical framework, with a range of 9% to 48% across specific years. A large number (144) of distinct theoretical frameworks was found. Leblanc's Interactive Theory of Music Preference was the most commonly cited theory (n = 30), followed by Piaget's Genetic Epistemology (n = 12) and Attribution Theory (n = 10). Studies dealing with elementary/secondary-general music and higher-education/teacher education were most likely to incorporate theoretical frameworks. Psychology (n = 108), music education (n = 78), and general education (n = 35) were the most commonly represented fields of knowledge.
