1
|
Sanderson DJ. A bias-free test of human temporal bisection: Evidence against bisection at the arithmetic mean. Cognition 2024; 247:105770. [PMID: 38522219 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The temporal bisection procedure has been used to assess theories of time perception. A problem with the procedure for measuring the perceived midpoint of two durations is that the spacing of probe durations affects the length of the bisection point. Linear spacing results in longer bisection points closer to the arithmetic mean of the durations than logarithmic spacing. In three experiments, the influence of probe duration distribution was avoided by presenting a single probe duration of either the arithmetic or geometric mean of the trained durations. It was found that the number of participants that categorised the arithmetic mean as long was significantly larger than those that categorised it as short. The number of participants that categorised the geometric mean as either short or long did not significantly differ. This was true for trained durations of 0.4 s vs. 1.6 s (Experiments 1-3), 0.2 s vs. 3.2 s (Experiment 2) and 0.4 s vs. 6.4 s (Experiment 3). In Experiment 4, the probe trial distribution effect was replicated with logarithmic and linearly distributed probe durations, demonstrating that bisection occurs close to the arithmetic mean with linearly spaced probe durations. The results provide evidence against bisection at the arithmetic mean when probe spacing bias is avoided and, instead, the results are consistent with logarithmic encoding of time, or a comparison rule based on relative rather than absolute differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J Sanderson
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cheng S, Chen S, Glasauer S, Keeser D, Shi Z. Neural mechanisms of sequential dependence in time perception: the impact of prior task and memory processing. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad453. [PMID: 38037371 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Our perception and decision-making are susceptible to prior context. Such sequential dependence has been extensively studied in the visual domain, but less is known about its impact on time perception. Moreover, there are ongoing debates about whether these sequential biases occur at the perceptual stage or during subsequent post-perceptual processing. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated neural mechanisms underlying temporal sequential dependence and the role of action in time judgments across trials. Participants performed a timing task where they had to remember the duration of green coherent motion and were cued to either actively reproduce its duration or simply view it passively. We found that sequential biases in time perception were only evident when the preceding task involved active duration reproduction. Merely encoding a prior duration without reproduction failed to induce such biases. Neurally, we observed activation in networks associated with timing, such as striato-thalamo-cortical circuits, and performance monitoring networks, particularly when a "Response" trial was anticipated. Importantly, the hippocampus showed sensitivity to these sequential biases, and its activation negatively correlated with the individual's sequential bias following active reproduction trials. These findings highlight the significant role of memory networks in shaping time-related sequential biases at the post-perceptual stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si Cheng
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Siyi Chen
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Glasauer
- Computational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Technology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Lipezker Straße 47, 03048, Cottbus, Germany
| | - Daniel Keeser
- NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Nußbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
- NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Nußbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Baykan C, Shi Z. Temporal decision making: it is all about context. Learn Behav 2023; 51:349-350. [PMID: 36581781 PMCID: PMC10716059 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-022-00568-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Is there sufficient evidence to make a decision, or has enough time passed to justify making a decision? According to Ofir and Landau (2022, Current Biology: CB, 32[18], 4093-4100.e6), these two questions are closely related: brain activity measured by EEG at the offset of stimulus presentation predicts the behavioral temporal decision, being influenced by the current context, and reflecting the relative distance to a decision threshold which is also context dependent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cemre Baykan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, DE, Germany.
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, DE, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Baykan C, Zhu X, Allenmark F, Shi Z. Influences of temporal order in temporal reproduction. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:2210-2218. [PMID: 37291447 PMCID: PMC10728249 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02310-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite the crucial role of complex temporal sequences, such as speech and music, in our everyday lives, our ability to acquire and reproduce these patterns is prone to various contextual biases. In this study, we examined how the temporal order of auditory sequences affects temporal reproduction. Participants were asked to reproduce accelerating, decelerating or random sequences, each consisting of four intervals, by tapping their fingers. Our results showed that the reproduction and the reproduction variability were influenced by the sequential structure and interval orders. The mean reproduced interval was assimilated by the first interval of the sequence, with the lowest mean for decelerating and the highest for accelerating sequences. Additionally, the central tendency bias was affected by the volatility and the last interval of the sequence, resulting in a stronger central tendency in the random and decelerating sequences than the accelerating sequence. Using Bayesian integration between the ensemble mean of the sequence and individual durations and considering the perceptual uncertainty associated with the sequential structure and position, we were able to accurately predict the behavioral results. The findings highlight the critical role of the temporal order of a sequence in temporal pattern reproduction, with the first interval exerting greater influence on mean reproduction and the volatility and the last interval contributing to the perceptual uncertainty of individual intervals and the central tendency bias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cemre Baykan
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80802, Munich, Germany.
| | - Xiuna Zhu
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Fredrik Allenmark
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80802, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Baykan C, Zhu X, Zinchenko A, Müller HJ, Shi Z. Electrophysiological signatures of temporal context in the bisection task. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:2081-2096. [PMID: 37460622 PMCID: PMC10386970 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06670-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite having relatively accurate timing, subjective time can be influenced by various contexts, such as stimulus spacing and sample frequency. Several electroencephalographic (EEG) components have been associated with timing, including the contingent negative variation (CNV), offset P2, and late positive component of timing (LPCt). However, the specific role of these components in the contextual modulation of perceived time remains unclear. In this study, we conducted two temporal bisection experiments to investigate this issue. Participants had to judge whether a test duration was close to a short or long standard. Unbeknownst to them, we manipulated the stimulus spacing (Experiment 1) and sample frequency (Experiment 2) to create short and long contexts while maintaining consistent test ranges and standards across different sessions. The results revealed that the bisection threshold shifted towards the ensemble mean, and both CNV and LPCt were sensitive to context modulation. In the short context, the CNV exhibited an increased climbing rate compared to the long context, whereas the LPCt displayed reduced amplitude and latency. These findings suggest that the CNV represents an expectancy wave preceding a temporal decision process, while the LPCt reflects the decision-making process itself, with both components influenced by the temporal context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cemre Baykan
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany.
| | - Xiuna Zhu
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Artyom Zinchenko
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann J Müller
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Killeen PR. Trace Theory of Perception for Temporal Bisection. TIMING & TIME PERCEPTION 2023. [DOI: 10.1163/22134468-bja10074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
The Trace Theory of Perception (TToP) is applied to temporal interval bisection. In this protocol, after familiarization with the referents for long or short judgments — the endpoints of the range — observers classify probe stimuli ‘short’ or ‘long’ (closer to the short or to the long referent). The midpoint of the range is predicted by TToP to be near and slightly above the geometric mean of the endpoints, and generally independent of signal modality. The observed bisection points, the time at which the probability of a long response is , deviates from those predictions. It was hypothesized that the deviations were caused by the observers’ bias to use categories equally often, which would be accomplished if the bisection point were at the median of the probes. A weighted average of the predicted midpoint and the median accounted for most of the variance in over 100 experiments, and explained the difference between linear and logarithmic spacing of probes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter R. Killeen
- Emeritus Professor; Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jia L, Shao B, Wang X, Shi Z. Phrase Depicting Immoral Behavior Dilates Its Subjective Time Judgment. Front Psychol 2021; 12:784752. [PMID: 35002873 PMCID: PMC8739786 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.784752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intuitive moral emotions play a major role in forming our opinions and moral decisions. However, it is not yet known how we perceive the subjective time of moral-related information. In this study, we compared subjective durations of phrases depicting immoral, disgust, or neutral behaviors in a duration bisection task and found that phrases depicting immoral behavior were perceived as lasting longer than the neutral and disgusting phrases. By contrast, the subjective duration of the disgusting phrase, unlike the immoral phrase, was comparable to the neutral phrase. Moreover, the lengthening effect of the immoral phrase relative to the neutral phrase was significantly correlated to the anonymously prosocial tendency of the observer. Our findings suggest that immoral phrases induce embodied moral reaction, which alters emotional state and subsequently lengthens subjective time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Jia
- Department of Education, School of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Bingjie Shao
- Department of Education, School of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiaocheng Wang
- Department of Education, School of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Droit-Volet S, Gil S. The Spread of the Lengthening Time Effect of Emotions in Memory: A Test in the Setting of the Central Tendency Effect. Front Psychol 2021; 12:774392. [PMID: 34867684 PMCID: PMC8637849 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.774392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to test how the perception of an emotional stimulus colors the temporal context of judgment and modifies the participant's perception of the current neutral duration. Participants were given two ready-set-go tasks consisting of a distribution of short (0.5-0.9 s) or long sample intervals (0.9-1.3 s) with an overlapping 0.9-s interval. Additional intervals were introduced in the temporal distribution. These were neutral for the two temporal tasks in a control condition and emotional for the short, but not the long temporal task in an emotion condition. The results indicated a replication of a kind of Vierordt's law in the control condition, i.e., the temporal judgment toward the mean of the distribution of sample intervals (central tendency effect). However, there was a shift in the central tendency effect in the emotion condition indicating a general bias in the form of an overestimation of current intervals linked to the presence of a few emotional stimuli among the previous intervals. This finding is entirely consistent with timing mechanisms driven by prior duration context, particularly experience of prior emotional duration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Droit-Volet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale et COgnitive (LAPSCO), Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sandrine Gil
- Université de Poitiers, CNRS, Centre de Recherche sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage (CeRCA), Poitiers, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
|