title: Embodiment and the origin of interval timing: kinematic and electromyographic data.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests that interval timing (the judgment of durations lasting from approximately 500 ms. to a few minutes) is closely coupled to the action control system. We used surface electromyography (EMG) and motion capture technology to explore the emergence of this coupling in 4-, 6-, and 8-month-olds. We engaged infants in an active and socially relevant arm-raising task with seven cycles and response period. In one condition, cycles were slow (every 4 s); in another, they were fast (every 2 s). In the slow condition, we found evidence of time-locked sub-threshold EMG activity even in the absence of any observed overt motor responses at all three ages. This study shows that EMGs can be a more sensitive measure of interval timing in early development than overt behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK. c.addyman@gold.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Caspar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Addyman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives, Université Paris Ouest, Nanterre La Défense, Nanterre, France.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fautrelle
authors.affiliation: UMR 5022, Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Apprentissage et du Développement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 21065, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: French
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1093, Cognition, Action et Plasticité Sensori Motrice, Université de Bourgogne, Campus Universitaire, 21078, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mareschal
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Electromyography; Embodiment; Infants; Interval timing; Open Data; Open Materials