title: Comparison of variance and covariance patterns in parallel and serial theories of timing.
abstract: Parallel and serial timing processes are analyzed for their account of the dynamics of intertrial responding in the peak procedure. A strictly serial model, such as the behavioral theory of timing (Killeen & Fetterman, 1988), does not fit the dynamic correlation pattern in the location and duration of the middle high-rate responding portion of peak trials. In contrast, the parallel scalar expectancy theory model, with a sample for memory and threshold, does fit this pattern. A modification of the serial model is presented that also accommodates the within-trial covariance pattern. The modification, which is formally equivalent to a model for human tapping (Wing & Kristofferson, 1973), entails the addition of concurrent processes operating in parallel with serial timing.
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gibbon
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Church
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention; D010856:Columbidae; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D011939:Mental Recall; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009042:Motivation; D011601:Psychophysics; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013998:Time Perception