A neuroadaptive interface shows intentional control alters the experience of time

A reliable experience of time is critical for perception and action in the present, for accurately remembering our past, and for successfully planning a future. Theories of time perception commonly assume a central mechanism keeps time by providing a relatively independent, internal clock. Recent work, however, shows imaginary self-movements alter subjective time, suggesting a critical role for action in temporal cognition. To test the hypothesis that time perception derives from the relationship between action and perception, we designed a neuroadaptive interface operating on imaginary movement to visualize movement through virtual reality. EEG activity was classified online as reflecting accelerating movement or static imagery, which was then used in providing feedback for adapting the velocity of optical flow presented in a star field to enable neuroadaptive control. Two cybernetic experiments were conducted to determine how neuroadaptivity in the relation between action and perception affected temporal perception in the verbal time estimation task. In particularly, we contrasted neuroadaptive feedback (e.g. imagined running > visual acceleration) with non-adaptive (imagined standing > visual acceleration) and pseudoadaptive (sham) feedback conditions. Movement imagery biased estimated duration while intentional control increased judgements of the passage of time. We conclude that perception and imaginary action co-determine temporal cognition. Furthermore, the relationship between perception and action-our evaluation of perceived movement as intentionally produced-alters the subjective experience of time. Finally, we discuss the potential for our novel, neuroadaptive methodology as an investigative tool for temporal disturbances observed in psychopathology.