TY - JOUR

T1 - Verbal working memory influences time perception in explicit time estimation

AU - Mari-Beffa, Paloma

PY - 2015/8

Y1 - 2015/8

N2 - In this set of two experiments we tried to study how two different systems, a rhythmic and a memory-based one, can work together to generate explicit time perceptions. Using a time estimation task, participants were asked to report the duration of a visual stimulus appearing for a random interval ranging from 1 to 8 seconds. In one condition participants had to count the seconds before responding. In a different block participants were told not to count and simplyguess the time. Both strategies produced greatly different performance functions: 1) the counting strategy presented similarly fast reaction times as a function of interval and better discrimination in general; 2) the non-counting condition produced an inverted U-shape distribution in which extremes were responded to faster than intermediate values. This function was also linked to apattern of poor discrimination in the extreme intervals, with clear overshooting in the shorter and undershooting in the longer ones. More importantly, manipulation of verbal distraction and alterations to a rhythm produced an impact in the counting condition only, but not in the noncounting one. The results are interpreted under a combination of clock-based and memory-basedsystems that coexist to produce explicit time estimations.

AB - In this set of two experiments we tried to study how two different systems, a rhythmic and a memory-based one, can work together to generate explicit time perceptions. Using a time estimation task, participants were asked to report the duration of a visual stimulus appearing for a random interval ranging from 1 to 8 seconds. In one condition participants had to count the seconds before responding. In a different block participants were told not to count and simplyguess the time. Both strategies produced greatly different performance functions: 1) the counting strategy presented similarly fast reaction times as a function of interval and better discrimination in general; 2) the non-counting condition produced an inverted U-shape distribution in which extremes were responded to faster than intermediate values. This function was also linked to apattern of poor discrimination in the extreme intervals, with clear overshooting in the shorter and undershooting in the longer ones. More importantly, manipulation of verbal distraction and alterations to a rhythm produced an impact in the counting condition only, but not in the noncounting one. The results are interpreted under a combination of clock-based and memory-basedsystems that coexist to produce explicit time estimations.

U2 - 10.1177/0301006615598674

DO - 10.1177/0301006615598674

M3 - Meeting Abstract

VL - 44

SP - 230

EP - 230

JO - Perception

JF - Perception

SN - 0301-0066

IS - 1

ER -