Apparent speed of motion concomitant with action alters with delay

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychology of Perception

Background:

• Action influences motion perception, with intended speed affecting apparent motion speed.
• The impact of speed-irrelevant actions on perceived motion speed remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if actions lacking speed intention affect the apparent speed of subsequent motion.
• To explore the relationship between action-stimulus delay, perceived motion speed, and perceived duration.

Main Methods:

• Experiment 1: Measured apparent motion speed following a key press with varying delays.
• Experiment 2: Assessed apparent duration of static and motion stimuli after action with varying delays.
• Manipulated stimulus onset asynchrony to alter efference copy timing.

Main Results:

• Apparent motion speed decreased as the delay between action and motion increased.
• Perceived duration of static and motion stimuli remained unchanged with increasing delay.
• Apparent speed and duration exhibited different delay-dependent characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Speed-irrelevant actions modulate perceived motion speed, but not perceived duration.
• The findings suggest distinct neural mechanisms underlying the perception of motion speed and duration in relation to the sense of agency.