Crossmodal temporal discrimination: assessing the predictions of a general pacemaker-counter model.
In this study, an extended pacemaker-counter model was applied to crossmodal temporal discrimination. In three experiments, subjects discriminated between the durations of a constant standard stimulus and a variable comparison stimulus. In congruent trials, both stimuli were presented in the same sensory modality (i.e., both visual or both auditory), whereas in incongruent trials, each stimulus was presented in a different modality. The model accounts for the finding that temporal discrimination depends on the presentation order of the sensory modalities. Nevertheless, the model fails to explain why temporal discrimination was much better with congruent than with incongruent trials. The discussion considers possibilities to accommodate the model to this and other shortcomings.
Ulrich
Rolf
R
Department of Cognitive and Biological Psychology, Psychological Institute, University of Tübingen, Friedrichstr. 21, 72072 Tübingen, Germany. ulrich@uni-tuebingen.de
Nitschke
Judith
J
Rammsayer
Thomas
T
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001307:Auditory Perception; D003118:Color Perception; D004056:Differential Threshold; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D011601:Psychophysics; D011930:Reaction Time; D013998:Time Perception; D014796:Visual Perception