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Perceptual and motor congruency effects in time-space association
Marco Fabbri1, Nicola Cellini, Monica Martoni
1Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy, marco.fabbri@unina2.it.
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics
|August 2, 2013
Summary
Manual response and physical space codes for time perception are independent. This study found these codes do not interact, even when both are used in tasks involving spatial representations of time.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Temporal events are commonly mapped onto a left-to-right spatial mental timeline.
- Spatial representations of time can be influenced by task-specific dimensions like manual response codes and physical space codes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the independence and potential interaction between manual response codes and physical space codes in temporal estimation tasks.
- To determine if these coding systems influence each other when simultaneously engaged.
Main Methods:
- Participants completed a temporal estimation task using lateralized response buttons across four experiments.
- Stimuli presentation varied in spatial location (left, center, right) and congruence with reference stimuli.
- Perceptual and motor congruency effects were analyzed under different spatial configurations.
Main Results:
- Perceptual and motor congruency effects were consistently observed across all experiments.
- No modulation of congruency effects occurred when both perceptual and motor components were congruent.
- Physical space codes and manual response codes were found to be independent in time-space associations.
Conclusions:
- Manual response codes and physical space codes operate independently in forming time-space associations.
- These findings support the 'intermediate-coding' account of spatial and motor influences on temporal cognition.
- The independence suggests distinct neural or cognitive mechanisms underlie these different coding dimensions.
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