Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method

In time perception research, we typically measure how an observer perceives time intervals by collecting data from multiple trials with a single estimate recorded on each. However, this gives us limited information about the observer's uncertainty for each estimate, which we usually measure fro...

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Main Authors: Jaume Boned, Joan López-Moliner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2024-11-01
Series:i-Perception
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695241279675
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author Jaume Boned
Joan López-Moliner
author_facet Jaume Boned
Joan López-Moliner
author_sort Jaume Boned
collection DOAJ
description In time perception research, we typically measure how an observer perceives time intervals by collecting data from multiple trials with a single estimate recorded on each. However, this gives us limited information about the observer's uncertainty for each estimate, which we usually measure from the variability across trials. Our study tested the potential of a modified reproduction task to provide a duration estimate as well as a measure of uncertainty on a single-trial basis. Participants were instructed to press and hold a key to temporally bracket the end of a learned duration (0.6–4 s) as narrowly as possible. Therefore, we expected the bracket's length to indicate the level of uncertainty. We compared this method to a conventional reproduction task. Taking the mid-point of the bracket as the duration estimate, we found that both methods produced equivalent data. Critically, the bracket length predicted reproduction variability, indicating that a single bracket obtained in an individual trial could potentially provide as much information as multiple reproductions. Additionally, relative variability in bracket start and end positions suggests a combination of additive and multiplicative noise components. Our findings highlight the bracket method as a more efficient and nuanced approach to measure time estimates and their associated uncertainty, expanding the methodological toolkit and opening new avenues in time perception research.
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spelling doaj-art-fbcdb3208e6b43d2a105f02467ca973f2025-08-20T02:40:15ZengSAGE Publishingi-Perception2041-66952024-11-011510.1177/20416695241279675Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction methodJaume BonedJoan López-MolinerIn time perception research, we typically measure how an observer perceives time intervals by collecting data from multiple trials with a single estimate recorded on each. However, this gives us limited information about the observer's uncertainty for each estimate, which we usually measure from the variability across trials. Our study tested the potential of a modified reproduction task to provide a duration estimate as well as a measure of uncertainty on a single-trial basis. Participants were instructed to press and hold a key to temporally bracket the end of a learned duration (0.6–4 s) as narrowly as possible. Therefore, we expected the bracket's length to indicate the level of uncertainty. We compared this method to a conventional reproduction task. Taking the mid-point of the bracket as the duration estimate, we found that both methods produced equivalent data. Critically, the bracket length predicted reproduction variability, indicating that a single bracket obtained in an individual trial could potentially provide as much information as multiple reproductions. Additionally, relative variability in bracket start and end positions suggests a combination of additive and multiplicative noise components. Our findings highlight the bracket method as a more efficient and nuanced approach to measure time estimates and their associated uncertainty, expanding the methodological toolkit and opening new avenues in time perception research.https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695241279675
spellingShingle Jaume Boned
Joan López-Moliner
Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
i-Perception
title Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
title_full Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
title_fullStr Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
title_full_unstemmed Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
title_short Quantifying uncertainty in time perception: A modified reproduction method
title_sort quantifying uncertainty in time perception a modified reproduction method
url https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695241279675
work_keys_str_mv AT jaumeboned quantifyinguncertaintyintimeperceptionamodifiedreproductionmethod
AT joanlopezmoliner quantifyinguncertaintyintimeperceptionamodifiedreproductionmethod