Motor beta oscillations contribute to the temporal binding effect

Agency, the feeling of controlling one's actions and their consequences, is closely linked to temporal binding, a phenomenon where the interval between a voluntary action and its outcome is subjectively compressed. While prior research has linked temporal binding to sensorimotor processes, the role of neural oscillations remains unclear. In this study, we combined electroencephalography with an automatic imitation task to examine how trial-by-trial variations in motor-related brain rhythms predict temporal binding. Twenty-eight participants performed lifting finger movements in response to visual imperative stimuli. Following each response, they estimated the interval between their action and a subsequent tone. Time-frequency analysis and linear mixed-effects modeling revealed that reduced beta desynchronization predicted stronger temporal binding, independent of action congruency. These results suggest that motor beta oscillations reflects the temporal experience of action-effect coupling, likely reflecting predictive motor processes involved in the construction of voluntary actions.