Essay on Psychology in a Marching Band

The shrill call of the drum major’s whistle pierced the air, and the band stepped off as ordered. Every year, my former high school band inaugurated its new marching season with the Los Angeles County Fair. With our eyes focused above the horizon and our heels hitting the pavement synchronously, we marched forward, the way we had practiced hundreds of times prior to this day. Every roll-step was polished, every musical note tuned. As an eighth-grader marching next to experienced upperclassmen, I was terrified during my first parade. I remember vividly, being overwhelmed by the massive swarms of people on the sidelines and the loud music from floats and carnival rides. As I tightened my grip on my flute, I focused all of my attention on staying on the right foot and playing the correct notes, feeling anxious, but determined to make the band proud.

In order to march in a parade, we rely heavily on the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe plays the primary role in many significant human functions, such as motor function and decision-making. The section of the frontal lobe designated for controlling fine movement is known as the primary motor cortex. This part of the brain is involved with an assortment of tasks in band. For example, when I raise my flute to my lips, the primary motor cortex controls the muscles in my arms as they move into playing position, as well as the intricate movements of my fingers as they switch between keys to play each note. Additionally, when I roll-step, the primary motor cortex manipulates the muscles in my legs as I take each step. There is also the area towards the front of the frontal lobe known as the prefrontal cortex. This section of the frontal lobe is crucial for memory, as well as for planning actions. While it allows us to memorize music for the parade and ensures that we remember to bring our uniforms and instruments, the prefrontal cortex also helps us to prioritize. For band members who were unable to participate in the parade, the prefrontal cortex is what allowed them to gauge the consequences of their choices (attending versus not attending) before making the final decision to not be present. Another significant lobe of the cerebral cortex is the temporal lobe. Found towards the left and right sides of the cerebral cortex, the temporal lobe is the center for auditory intake. Undoubtedly, the lobe is essential in all aspects of music, but is especially critical during a parade. The receptors in our ears receive sensory information from the environment around us, such as the boisterous cheering of the crowd, the lively march played by the band, or the sharp screeches of the drum major’s whistle. The information is then transmitted to the temporal lobe of the brain, where all of the distinct sounds and pitches are processed and interpreted.

Within these systems, there are smaller units that are the true masterminds behind the described mechanisms. These units are neurons: cells that relay information to different parts of the brain and body. Neurons primarily consist of a cell body, dendrites, an axon, and an axon terminal. While there are thousands of varieties of neurons within an individual’s body, the two types chiefly involved in marching are motor and sensory neurons. For instance, when I shift my flute into playing position, or take a stride forward, the motor neurons in my brain and spinal cord communicate with the muscles in my arms and legs to initiate the actions. To do this, the axons of the neurons conduct an action potential, or a signal that moves down an axon at a consistent intensity, which begins at the axon hillock and ends at the terminal boutons. The case with sensory neurons is similar. To absorb the vast array of sounds in the environment, an action potential is initiated to convey to my brain that the theme music from carnival ride is coming from my left, or that the French horn in front of me is out of tune.

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Outside of the typical variations of neurons, there are also types of neurons known as mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are special cells that become activated when one individual displays a movement, and a second individual observing the first imitates the same (or a similar) movement. This applies to making adjustments when the parade is in action. If I adjusted the angle of my flute by a few degrees, the student to my right would subconsciously reposition her flute to make the same adjustment after seeing me in her peripheral vision. Likewise, if she lifted her chin and straightened her back to realign her posture, I would mimic her modifications.

While elements of marching in a parade do concern biological psychology, it also involves facets of behaviorism: specifically, operant conditioning. Operant conditioning can be defined as a method of gradually learning to associate certain behaviors with certain consequences. One notable law in operant conditioning that is relevant to marching as a whole is the law of use, which states that connections are enhanced with continuous practice, and weakened when practice is suspended. In band, hundreds of hours go into practicing for large performances, such as parades. Routinely being present for practices typically ensures that a student will be well-prepared to execute the commands, songs, and techniques that are required of them in the final performance, whereas missing out on practices makes them sloppy and uncoordinated.

Further, there are also positive and negative reinforcements (responses that increase the likelihood of the most recent behavior) and punishments (responses that decrease the likelihood of the most recent behavior). One example is grades, which can be categorized as either positive reinforcement or positive punishment depending on the application. Large performances, such as parades or concerts, account for the greatest portion of each student’s overall grade in band. If a student were to attend the parade, memorize their music, and perform well, they would receive the positive reinforcement of a high grade in the performance category, and be encouraged to repeat this behavior. This is enforced on a schedule of continuous reinforcement, meaning that every response (i.e., attendance and overall performance of each student) is reinforced. Adversely, if a student were to miss a performance, or acted poorly during practices, they would receive the positive punishment of a poor grade in the performance category, which would discourage them from repeating this type of behavior in the future.

While it is evident that psychology is prevalent in marching band, it goes without saying that this is only one example of how deeply psychology is woven into our everyday lives. Every interaction and experience that we undergo is rife with the hundreds of complex and diverse principles of psychology, and understanding the science behind them helps us to gain deeper insight into not only ourselves, but also other people. As we begin to recognize and understand how these elements come together to construct the multitude of ways each of us perceives the world, we can better understand the world itself.