The influence of sensory modality on temporal information processing: Thomas Rammsayer

Transcription

1 The influence of sensory modality on temporal information processing: Evidence derived from the temporal resolution power hypothesis and studies in musicians Thomas Rammsayer Institute for Psychology University of Bern, Switzerland

2 Some peculiarities of time perception: There is no sense of time. There is no specific receptor system for processing of temporal information. Time cannot be perceived directly.

3 Temporal Resolution Power (TRP) hypothesis of intelligence 3

4 Francis Galton James McK. Cattell Charles Spearman Early experimental approaches to intelligence put forward the notion of intelligence as a biological quality reflected in elementary behavioral measures.

5 Arthur Jensen Philip A. Vernon More recent information processing approaches consider intelligence a characteristic of the brain to process information quickly and correctly. Mental speed approach

6 Modified Hick paradigm (Neubauer et al., 1997) bit condition 1-bit condition 2-bit condition

7 Reaction time Hick s Law 0 Bit 1 Bit 2 Bit Information content 7

8 Reaction time Hick s Law and psychometric intelligence low ability high ability 0 Bit 1 Bit 2 Bit Information content 8

9 Temporal Resolution Power (TRP) hypothesis of intelligence 9

10 According to the TRP hypothesis, timing performance represents a more direct measure of intelligence-related brain functions than traditional mental speed measures.

11 Exploring the Temporal Resolution Power Hypothesis Participants: 40 male and 60 female volunteers years (mean ± SD: 26.0 ± 6.8 years) Rammsayer & Brandler (2007)

12 Psychophysical temporal tasks: Simultaneity/successiveness (AFF) Temporal-order judgment Duration discrimination Temporal generalization Rhythm perception

13 Modified Hick paradigm (cf., Neubauer et al., 1997) bit condition 1-bit condition 2-bit condition

14 Description of psychometric tests applied for measuring primary mental abilities Intelligence Scale Verbal comprehension Word fluency Space 1 Space 2 Closure Perceptual speed Series Classifications Matrices Topologies Number 1 Number 2 Verbal memory Numerical memory Spatial memory Task characteristics Detection of typographical errors in nouns Anagrams Mental rotation Three-dimensional interpretation of two-dimensionally presented objects Detection of single elements in complex objects Comparison of two columns of letters and digits Completion of a series of pictures Finding two pictures which violate a rule within a set of five pictures Completion of a matrix Topological reasoning Detection of numbers exceeding the proceeding number by three Solving of complex mathematical problems by means of simple mathematical principles Reproduction of previously memorized nouns Reproduction of two-digit numbers Recognition of buildings on a city map

15 PCA factor loadings of intelligence scales on the first unrotated component Intelligence Scale Verbal comprehension Word fluency Space 1 Space 2 Closure Perceptual speed Series Classifications Matrices Topologies Number 1 Number 2 Verbal memory Numerical memory Spatial memory Psychometric g Eigenvalue 5.72 Explained variance [%] 38.12

16 PCA factor loadings of temporal tasks on the first unrotated component Temporal task Temporal g DD-msec filled DD-msec empty DD-sec filled TG-msec TG-sec Rhythm TOJ AFF Eigenvalue Explained variance [%] Rammsayer & Brandler (2007)

17 PCA factor loadings of Hick parameters on the first unrotated component Hick parameter RT 0 bit RT 1 bit RT 2 bit SD 0 bit SD 1 bit SD 2 bit Intercept Slope Hick g Eigenvalue Explained variance [%] Rammsayer & Brandler (2007)

18 Correlations with psychometric g Temporal g Hick g.56***.34** ** p <.01; *** p <.001 (two-tailed)

19 Explained variance of overall variability in psychometric g 12% 31% 31% 1% Hick g Temporal g Temporal g and Hick g Rammsayer & Brandler (2007)

20 Exploring the Temporal Resolution Power Hypothesis: Is auditory and visual temporal information processing related to intelligence? Participants: 68 male and 84 female students years (mean ± SD: 23.0 ± 3.15 years) Adaptive Matrices Test (AMT): a computercontrolled, adaptive test based upon Raven s Progressive Matrices Tests Haldemann et al. (2012)

21 Psychophysical temporal tasks: Duration discrimination: filled intervals, msec Duration discrimination: empty intervals, msec Temporal generalization: filled intervals, msec Rhythm perception Haldemann et al. (2012)

22 Model fit: χ 2 (25) = 50.48; p =.002; CFI =.90; RMSEA =.08 Model 1 relating psychometric intelligence as assessed by the AMT to amodal TRP. 22 Haldemann et al. (2012)

23 Model fit: χ 2 (23) = 33.11; p =.08; CFI =.96; RMSEA =.05 Model 2 relating psychometric intelligence to TRP assuming that TRP is modality-specific. Haldemann et al. (2012) 23

24 Model fit: χ 2 (24) = 34.78; p =.07; CFI =.90; RMSEA =.05 Model 3 relating psychometric intelligence to TRP. TRP is amodal at a higher level with two modality-specific subordinate factors referred to as visual and auditory TRP. Haldemann et al. (2012) 24

25 TRP and the influence of sensory modality on temporal information processing: Visual and auditory TRP reliably correlate with psychometric intelligence. Temporal information is not exclusively processed in an amodal mode. At an initial level of processing, auditory and visual temporal information seems to be processed in a rather modality-specific mode. 25

26 Musicians vs. Non-musicians

27 Rammsayer & Altenmüller (2006)

28 Does musicians temporal superiority also hold for the visual domain?

29 Musicians vs. Non-musicians 20 male and 20 female musicians mean age: 22.7 ± 2.6 years enrolled in a music master program with major musical performance played their instruments for 16.5 ± 0.5 years on average 20 male and 20 female non-musicians mean age: 22.8 ± 2.6 years master students who reported that they had never been playing any musical instrument nor were they especially interested in music Rammsayer, Buttkus, & Altenmüller (2012)

30 Psychophysical temporal tasks: Duration discrimination: filled intervals, msec Duration discrimination: filled intervals, sec Temporal generalization: filled intervals, msec Temporal generalization: filled intervals, sec Rhythm perception Simultaneity/successiveness (AFF/CFF) Rammsayer, Buttkus, & Altenmüller (2012)

31 Mean performance scores for auditory and visual versions of each temporal task for musicians and nonmusicians. Temporal task Musicians Non-musicians auditory visual auditory visual DDmsec DDsec TGmsec TGsec RP AFF/CFF Rammsayer, Buttkus & Altenmüller (2012) 31

32 Mean performance scores for auditory and visual versions of each temporal task for musicians and nonmusicians. Temporal task Musicians Non-musicians auditory visual auditory visual DDmsec DDsec TGmsec TGsec RP AFF/CFF Rammsayer, Buttkus & Altenmüller (2012) 32

33 The finding that performance on various timing tasks was consistently better in the musician group suggests a general, amodal timing mechanism.

34 Two tentative explanations: Due to neural plasticity, music training has beneficial effects on neural mechanisms related to temporal information processing. Musicians temporal superiority reflects an innate component of music ability rather than a consequence of early, intensive music training.

35 Does musicians temporal superiority reflect an innate component of music ability rather than a consequence of early, intensive music training?

36 Self-rated musicality and temporal information processing 52 male and 42 female volunteers with no extensive music training Assessment of musicality Participants were asked to rate their musicality on a scale ranging from 1=very low to 10=very high.

37 Psychophysical temporal tasks: Duration discrimination: filled intervals, msec Duration discrimination: empty intervals, msec Temporal generalization: filled intervals, msec Rhythm perception

38 Mean performance scores for auditory and visual versions of each temporal task for participants with high and low self-rated musicality. Temporal task High musicality Low musicality auditory visual auditory visual DD filled DD empty TG RP

39 Mean performance scores for auditory and visual versions of each temporal task for participants with high and low self-rated musicality. Temporal task High musicality Low musicality auditory visual auditory visual DD filled DD empty TG RP

40 Musicians temporal superiority may reflect an innate component of music ability rather than a consequence of early, intensive music training.

41 In conclusion: Evidence derived from the TRP hypothesis and studies in musicians is consistent with the notion of a common timing mechanism involved in auditory and visual temporal information processing.

42 This research was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grants RA 450/14-1, RA 450/14-2, and RA 450/14-3. Eckhart Altenmüller Susanne Brandler Franziska Buttkus Judith Haldemann Nadine Helmbold Corinne Stauffer Stefan Troche