Associative learning of response inhibition affects perceived duration in a subsequent temporal bisection task

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Time Perception

Background:

• Interval timing is crucial for daily activities.
• Perceived duration is influenced by stimulus characteristics.
• Previous research suggests larger stimuli appear longer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how learned associations between stimuli and responses affect perceived duration.
• To test predictions from coding efficiency and processing principle theories of time perception.

Main Methods:

• Participants completed Go/No-Go or variable foreperiod tasks, learning stimulus-response associations.
• Perceived duration was assessed using a temporal bisection task.
• Stimuli previously associated with response inhibition or response were tested.

Main Results:

• Stimuli associated with response inhibition (No-Go) were perceived as shorter in duration compared to stimuli associated with a response (Go).
• Stimuli associated with short or long foreperiods did not significantly alter perceived duration.
• Findings contradict predictions from coding efficiency and processing principle theories.

Conclusions:

• Response inhibition, not merely stimulus processing, significantly modulates perceived duration.
• Existing time perception theories may need revision to account for response-related effects.
• Results provide a foundation for future research on the cognitive underpinnings of interval timing.