Time perception

About: Time perception is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1918 publications have been published within this topic receiving 87020 citations.

Time and numerosity estimation are independent: Behavioral evidence for two different systems using a conflict paradigm.

Abstract: Walsh (2003) proposed that time and numerical estimation are processed by one generalized magnitude system located mainly in the parietal cortex. According to this perspective, if the time and numerosity share the same mechanism, then interference effects should be observed when the two dimensions are put in conflict. In this study, 16 volunteers were required to listen to 25 audio files, differing in duration and number of tones, in two tasks: One required estimating the duration of the stimulus; the other required estimating the number of tones. For example, the same duration may contain 11, 13, 15, 17 or 19 tones, and 11 tones could last for 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 s. Results show that estimates of duration were unaffected by the number of tones, and estimates of numerosity were unaffected by duration: This is incompatible with time and numerosity being processed by the same mechanism. Theoretical implications are discussed.

Deficits in auditory and visual temporal perception in schizophrenia.

Abstract: Introduction. Characteristics of time perception have not been well documented in patients with schizophrenia. The current study investigated time estimation to (1) test whether visual and auditory time perception varied between patients and controls, (2) assess the degree to which patients and controls can differentiate changes in experimental intervals, and (3) explore whether the temporal deficits suggest a general time perception deficit versus modality-specific differences. Methods. Participants were asked to decide whether temporal intervals were shorter or longer than standard intervals on computer-based auditory and visual temporal perception tasks. Data are presented for a sample of 10 patients with schizophrenia and 10 normal controls. Results. Data suggest that patients with schizophrenia exhibit deficits in differentiating subtle differences in intervals in the tens of milliseconds range, compared to their normal control peers on both auditory (p <.01) and visual perception tasks (p <.01). Con...

Carving the Clock at Its Component Joints: Neural Bases for Interval Timing

Abstract: Models of time perception often describe an “internal clock” that involves at least two components: an accumulator and a comparator. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to test the hypothesis that distinct distributed neural networks mediate these components of time perception. Subjects performed a temporal discrimination task that began with a visual stimulus (S1) that varied parametrically in duration of presentation. A varying interstimulus interval was followed by a second visual stimulus (S2). After the S2 offset, the subject indicated whether S2 was longer or shorter than S1. We reasoned that neural activity that correlated with S1 duration would represent accumulator networks. We also reasoned that neural activity that correlated with the difficulty of comparisons for each paired-judgment would represent comparator networks. Using anatomically defined regions of interest, we found duration of S1 significantly correlated with left inferior frontal, supplementary motor area (SMA) and superior temporal regions. Furthermore, task difficulty correlated with activity within bilateral inferior frontal gyri. Therefore accumulator and comparator functioning of the internal clock are mediated by distinct as well as partially overlapping neural regions.

Theories of Timing Behavior

Abstract: This chapter focuses on timing in the range of seconds to minutes. Timing behavior refers both to time perception and time production. Three types of explanations are considered: behavioristic, biological, and psychological. Time perception refers to the ability of animals to discriminate the duration of an event. The recognition that a time interval can be a conditioned stimulus has been attributed to research in I. Pavlov’s laboratory conducted between 1907 and 1916. A temporal regularity in the duration of a response and a subject-controlled reinforcement also leads to accurate time production. Studies of time perception and production demonstrate that animals are sensitive to the durations of stimuli and to the time intervals between stimuli, responses, and outcomes. A behavioristic explanation, as the term is used, is the application of input-output analysis to the study of behavior. This approach has been essential for progress in all the empirical sciences.

Life motion signals lengthen perceived temporal duration

Abstract: Point-light biological motions, conveying various different attributes of biological entities, have particular spatiotemporal properties that enable them to be processed with remarkable efficiency in the human visual system. Here we demonstrate that such signals automatically lengthen their perceived temporal duration independent of global configuration and without observers' subjective awareness of their biological nature. By using a duration discrimination paradigm, we showed that an upright biological motion sequence was perceived significantly longer than an inverted but otherwise identical sequence of the same duration. Furthermore, this temporal dilation effect could be extended to spatially scrambled biological motion signals, whose global configurations were completely disrupted, regardless of whether observers were aware of the nature of the stimuli. However, such an effect completely disappeared when critical biological characteristics were removed. Taken together, our findings suggest a special mechanism of time perception tuned to life motion signals and shed new light on the temporal encoding of biological motion.