Bidirectional Interference Between Spatial and Temporal Processing: Evidence From a Distracting Dual-Task Paradigm

The relationship between spatial and temporal processing remains a topic of ongoing debate. While several theories propose an asymmetrical influence of space on time, others suggest a bidirectional relationship with shared cognitive resources. This study introduces a novel paradigm that compares a single-task baseline with a distracting "dual-task" condition to deconstruct the nature of this interplay. Participants reproduced either the duration or the spatial configuration of visual sequences in which one (single task) or two dimensions (distracting dual task) were presented. Results revealed a significant general processing cost, with performance worsening for both time and space judgments when the other dimension was present. More interestingly, results also revealed content-dependent interference between the two dimensions, with the magnitude of the irrelevant dimension systematically modulating judgments of the target dimension. The evidence for bidirectional, content-dependent interference challenges the notion of a purely asymmetrical relationship. Overall, by dissociating general processing costs from specific interference, we provide a more nuanced model of the highly interconnected, bidirectional relationship between space and time.