The Effect of Individual Differences on Learning Outcomes in Guzheng Education in Contemporary Yangzhou

Abstract

Guzheng education in contemporary Yangzhou has undergone remarkable expansion in recent decades, driven by both the revival of traditional culture and the increasing popularity of community based music learning. Yangzhou, historically renowned for its refined guzheng aesthetics, has become a significant hub attracting learners from a wide range of ages and social backgrounds. This study investigates how individual differences—including age, prior musical experience, socioeconomic status, and practice habits—influence learning outcomes among 150 guzheng learners from private studios, arts institutions, and community centers in Yangzhou. Quantitative analyses reveal significant variations in theory knowledge across age cohorts, a moderate positive correlation between deliberate practice hours and performance level, and meaningful disparities in learning conditions based on socioeconomic background. Regression analyses further indicate that practice duration serves as a significant predictor of technical proficiency. By integrating frameworks from lifelong learning theory, cultural capital theory, and deliberate practice research, this study offers an empirically grounded perspective on how learner diversity shapes contemporary guzheng education. The findings highlight the necessity of differentiated instructional approaches and the importance of reducing socioeconomic barriers in order to sustain the development and transmission of intangible cultural heritage.