Embodiment and the origin of interval timing: kinematic and electromyographic data
Caspar Addyman1, Sinead Rocha2, Lilian Fautrelle3
1Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK. c.addyman@gold.ac.uk.
Experimental Brain Research
|December 10, 2016
Summary
Infants show early signs of interval timing, the ability to judge short durations, linked to motor control. Surface electromyography (EMG) detected this timing ability even without visible movements in babies as young as 4 months.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Neuroscience
- Motor control
Background:
- Interval timing, judging durations from milliseconds to minutes, is linked to action control.
- Understanding the developmental origins of interval timing is crucial for cognitive science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence of the coupling between interval timing and action control in pre-verbal infants.
- To determine if sub-threshold motor activity reflects interval timing in early development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized surface electromyography (EMG) and motion capture technology.
- Observed 4-, 6-, and 8-month-old infants performing an arm-raising task with varying cycle speeds (4s vs. 2s).
Main Results:
- Time-locked, sub-threshold EMG activity indicative of interval timing was observed in all infant age groups, even without overt motor responses.
- EMG proved more sensitive than behavioral observation for detecting interval timing in infants.
Conclusions:
- The action control system plays a role in interval timing from early infancy.
- Sub-threshold muscle activity measured by EMG is a sensitive indicator of early interval timing development.
