Differences in the temporal processing between identification and categorization of durations: a behavioral and ERP study

Abstract

This study examined how different forms of decision-making modulate time perception.Participants performed temporal bisection and generalization tasks, requiring them to either categorize a stimulus duration as more similar to short or long standards (bisection), or identify whether or not a duration was the same as a previously-presented standard (generalization). They responded faster in the bisection task than in the generalization one for long durations. This behavioral effect was accompanied by modulation of event-related potentials (ERPs). More specifically, between 500 ms and 600 ms after stimulus offset, a late positive component (LPC), appearing in the centro-parietal region, showed lower amplitude in the bisection task than in the generalization one, for long durations, mirroring the behavioral result. Before (200-500 ms) and after (600-800 ms) this window, the amplitude of the LPC was globally larger in the generalization paradigm, independently of the presented duration. Finally, the latency of the LPC's peak was earlier for long durations than for the short ones, indicating that the decision about the former stimuli was made earlier than for the latter ones. Taken together, these results indicate that the categorization of durations engages fewer cognitive resources than their identification.

Post-interval EEG activity is related to task-goals in temporal discrimination

“…In our results, the LPC had a fronto-central distribution and was inversely correlated with how much shorter the comparison interval was relative to the reference, in agreement with previous studies (Bannier et al, 2019;Lindbergh and Kieffaber, 2013). This inverse relationship between time and LPC amplitude seemed to hold only for intervals shorter than the reference, while intervals longer than the reference had a similar amplitude.…”

“…Our results corroborate with previous findings that the LPC might be related to decisional stages on other temporal tasks, such as temporal bisection (Bannier et al, 2019;Wiener & Thompson, 2015;Lindbergh & Kieffaber, 2013), temporal generalization (Bannier et al, 2019;Paul, et al, 2011) and temporal discrimination (Tarantino et al, 2010;Gontier et al 2009;Gontier et al, 2008;Gontier et al, 2007;Paul et al, 2003). However, it is important to stress that different studies have used the term LPC to refer to EEG activities diverse in time, topography, and task-related modulations.…”

“…An increasing number of studies have suggested that EEG markers at the end of the interval are correlated with temporal processing, such as early post-interval N1P2 component (Kononowicz & van Rijn, 2014) and the late positive component of timing (LPC;Bannier, Wearden, Le Dantec & Rebaï, 2019;Wiener & Thompson, 2015;Paul et al, 2003). In agreement with these findings, we found a modulation of post intervals signals by time in EEG activity that resembled a parieto-occipital p200 and a later fronto-central similar to the LPC.…”

“…However, it is important to stress that different studies have used the term LPC to refer to EEG activities diverse in time, topography, and task-related modulations. While some authors have measured the LPC to the response (Bannier et al, 2019;Wiener & Thompson, 2015;Lindbergh & Kieffaber, 2013), others have measured it relative to the offset of the interval (Tarantino et al, 2010;Gontier et al 2009;Gontier et al 2008;Gontier et al, 2007;Paul et al, 2003). Additionally, different authors have identified the LPC at prefrontal electrodes (Gontier et al, 2008;Paul et al, 2003Paul et al, , 2011, and centro-parietal electrodes (Bannier et al, 2019;Lindbergh and Kieffaber, 2013).…”

“…Different M/EEG markers have been proposed to be correlated with temporal processing based on this task, such as early post-interval N1P2 component (Kononowicz & van Rijn, 2014) and the late positive component of timing (LPCt;Bannier, Wearden, Le Dantec & Rebaï, 2019;Wiener & Thompson, 2015;Paul et al, 2003). However, the majority of these studies rely solely on temporal tasks.…”