This test follows some principles as designed by C.E. Seashore in 1939, and is used in the Halstead Reitan Battery. Thirty pairs of rhythmic patterns are presented in series of 10 items. The first series contains patterns of 5 notes, the second of 6 and the third of 7 notes. The purpose is to indicate whether the two patterns are the same or different.
Total number correct of different groups
Relevant Literature about the Rhythm Task
Alpherts WCJ, Vermeulen J, Franken ML, Hendriks MP, van Veelen CW, van Rijen PC. Lateralization of auditory rhythm length in temporal lobe lesions. Brain Cogn 2002;49:114-22.
(1)Charter-RA. Determining random responding for the category, speech-sounds perception, and Seashore Rhythm tests. J-Clin-Exp-Neuropsychol. 1994 Oct; 16(5): 744-8.
Applying a confidence interval of 95%, a score above 20 is better than random.
Duffy, F.H.; McAnulty, G.B. and Schachter, S.C. In: Geschwind, N. and Galaburda, A.M. (Eds.). Cerebral Dominance. The Biological Foundations. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1984, pp. 64-69.
Regional brain activation shows a more activated right hemisphere than the left; more parietal during presentation, and more frontal during decision making.
Karzmark-P; Heaton-RK; Lehman-RA; Crouch-J. Utility of the Seashore Tonal Memory Test in neuropsychological assessment. J-Clin-Exp-Neuropsychol. 1985 Aug; 7(4): 367-74.
Rhythm scores were not significantly different for groups with right- versus left-hemisphere lesions.
Seashore, C.E.; Lewis, D. and Saetveit, J.G. Seashore Measures of Musical Te lents. Revised Manual. The Psychological Corporation, NY, 1960.
Sherer, M.; Parsons, O.A.; Nixon, S.J. and Adams, R.L. Clinical Validity of the Speech-Sounds Perception Test and the Seashore Rhythm Test. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 1991, 13(5), 741-751.
Their data indicated that the Rhythm test failed to discriminate left- and right-hemisphere damage.