Individual differences in first- and second-order temporal judgment

Abstract

The ability of subjects to identify and reproduce brief temporal intervals is influenced by many factors whether they be stimulus-based, task-based or subject-based. The current study examines the role individual differences play in subsecond and suprasecond timing judgments, using the schizoptypy personality scale as a test-case approach for quantifying a broad range of individual differences. In two experiments, 129 (Experiment 1) and 141 (Experiment 2) subjects completed the O-LIFE personality questionnaire prior to performing a modified temporal-bisection task. In the bisection task, subjects responded to two identical instantiations of a luminance grating presented in a 4deg window, 4deg above fixation for 1.5 s (Experiment 1) or 3 s (Experiment 2). Subjects initiated presentation with a button-press, and released the button when they considered the stimulus to be half-way through (750/1500 ms). Subjects were then asked to indicate their ‘most accurate estimate’ of the two intervals. In this way we measure both performance on the task (a first-order measure) and the subjects’ knowledge of their performance (a second-order measure). In Experiment 1 the effect of grating-drift and feedback on performance was also examined. Experiment 2 focused on the static/no-feedback condition. For the group data, Experiment 1 showed a significant effect of presentation order in the baseline condition (no feedback), which disappeared when feedback was provided. Moving the stimulus had no effect on perceived duration. Experiment 2 showed no effect of stimulus presentation order. This elimination of the subsecond order-effect was at the expense of accuracy, as the mid-point of the suprasecond interval was generally underestimated. Response precision increased as a proportion of total duration, reducing the variance below that predicted by Weber’s law. This result is consistent with a breakdown of the scalar properties of time perception in the early suprasecond range. All subjects showed good insight into their own performance, though that insight did not necessarily correlate with the veridical bisection point. In terms of personality, we found evidence of significant differences in performance along the Unusual Experiences subscale, of most theoretical interest here, in the subsecond condition only. There was also significant correlation with Impulsive Nonconformity and Cognitive Disorganisation in the sub- and suprasecond conditions, respectively. Overall, these data support a partial dissociation of timing mechanisms at very short and slightly longer intervals. Further, these results suggest that perception is not the only critical mitigator of confidence in temporal experience, since individuals can effectively compensate for differences in perception at the level of metacognition in early suprasecond time. Though there are individual differences in performance, these are perhaps less than expected from previous reports and indicate an effective timing mechanism dealing with brief durations independent of the influence of...

Neural correlates of human time perception

“…This result suggests that individual differences in sensitivity to timing relationships may be in part predicted by variance in personality features. This is inconsistent with work published since this project was completed (Corcoran et al, 2018), where no compelling relationship was found between measures of schizotypy and sensitivity to timing relationships. However, Corcoran et al used a different schizotypy measure, and different timing task (temporal bisection task in the supra-second scale).…”

“…Schizotypy is a personality feature encompassing magical beliefs, odd perceptual experiences, paranoia, and more. While historically linked to schizophrenia, schizotypy is a continuous personality feature quantifiable even in healthy neuro-typical participants (Corcoran et al, 2018).…”

“…That is, a predictive model now ought to be able to predict participants' perception of relative timing with and without adaptation, predict their responses in many paradigms, and predict their confidence in these judgements. The utility of confidence estimates has recently been exploited in the context of time perception (Corcoran et al, 2018), and beyond (e.g., Gallagher et al, 2018).…”

Measuring the perception and metacognition of time

“…The ability of subjects to identify and (re)produce brief temporal intervals is influenced by many factors whether stimulus, subject or task-based (Bruno et al, 2012;Corcoran et al, 2018;Jazayeri & Shadlen, 2010;Piras & Coull, 2011). Several reviews have comprehensively outlined the current state of empirical and theoretical development in time perception (Block & Grondin, 2014;Bruno & Cicchini, 2016;Grondin, 2008Grondin, , 2010Matthews, 2015;Matthews & Meck, 2014;Matthews & Meck, 2016;Meck & Ivry, 2016;Tsao et al, 2022); the aim here is not to repeat this information but to introduce and motivate what we believe is a novel and useful method to approach the study of brief to moderate temporal intervals and the metacognition of that perceptual experience.…”

Percepción del tiempo y detección del cambio: estudios meta-analíticos, diseño y pilotaje de un paradigma conductual

“…1) La esquizotipia es considerada como un rasgo de personalidad que se distribuye de forma continua en la población general, sin ser necesariamente un indicio de psicopatología latente (Claridge y Beech, 1995). La esquizotipia ha despertado interés como un candidato potencial para predecir las diferencias individuales en la cognición temporal (Corcoran et al, 2018), debido a que involucra una variedad de características similares a las presentadas por pacientes psicóticos (Kwapil y Barrantes-Vidal, 2014).…”