Abstract
Musically trained and untrained subjects (N=30) were asked to synchronize their finger tapping with stimuli in auditory patterns. Each pattern comprised six successive tonal stimuli of the same duration, the first of which was accented by a different frequency. The duration of interstimulus onset intervals (ISIs) gradually increased or decreased in constant steps toward the end of the patterns. Four values of such steps were used in different trials: 20, 30, 45, and 60 msec. Various time-control mechanisms are hypothesized as being simultaneously responsible for subjects’ incorrect reproduction of the internal temporal ratios of the stimulus patterns. The mechanism of assimilation (of a central tendency) led subjects to enforce a regular (isochronous) structure on the patterns. The influence of other time-control mechanisms (distinction, subjective expression of an accent, sequential transfer) was expressed mainly in differences between intertap onset intervals (ITIs) and the corresponding ISIs at the beginning of the patterns. The duration of the first two ITIs was in the majority of the trials in an inverse ratio to the ratio of the respective ISIs. The distortions resulting from the timing mechanisms concerned were more pronounced in the performance of nonmusicians than in that of musicians.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clarkl, E. F. (1985). Structure and expression in rhythmic performance. In P. Howell, I. Cross & R. West (Eds.).Musical structure and cognition (pp 209–236). London: Academic Press.
Essens, P. J., &Povel, D.-J. (1985). Metrical and nonmetrical representations of temporal patterns.Perception & Psychophysics,37, 1–7.
Fraisse, P. (1946–1947). Mouvements rythmiques et arythmiques.L’Année Psychologique,47–48, 11–21.
Frajsse, P. (1947) De l’assimilation et de la distinction fondamentaux de la connaissance. InMiscellanea psychologica Albert Michotte (pp 181–193). Louvain: Institut Supérieur de Philosophie
Fraisse, P. (1984). Perception and estimation of timeAnnual Review of Psychology,35, 1–36.
Franěk, M., Matfs, J., Radil, T., Beck, K., &Poppel, E. (1991a) Finger tapping in musicians and nonmusicians.International Journal of Psychophysiology11, 277–279.
Franěk, M., Mates, J., Radil, T. Beck, K., &Pöppel, E. (1991b) Sensorimotor synchronization’ Motor responses to regular auditory patterns.Perception & Psychophysics,49, 509–516.
Franěk, M., Radil, T., &Indra, M. (1987). Accentuation of elements of pulse sequence influences timing of finger tapping.Physlologia Bohemoslovaca,36, 529.
Franěk, M., Radil, T., &Indra, M. (1988). Tracking irregular acoustic patterns by finger tapping.International Journal of Psychophysiology,6, 327–330.
Franek, M., Radil, T., &Indra, M. (1990) Subjective timing of rhythmical patterns during synchronization and reproduction of acoustic sequences.Studia Psychologica,32, 203–209.
Hary, D., &Moore, G. P. (1987). Synchronizing human movement with an external clock source.Biological Cybernetics,56, 305–311.
Helson, H. (1964).Adaptation-level theory. New York: Harper & Row.
Kagerer, F., Iemberger, J., Pöppel, E., Mates, J., &Radil, T. (1990), Auditory motor synchronization: Timing in incremental and decremental rhythmic tapping.Activitas Nervosa Superior,32, 145.
Mates, J. (1990). A system of control programs on PC for tapping experiments.Computer Methods & Programs in Biomedicine,33, 43–48.
Michon, J. A. (1967)Timing in temporal tracking. Soesterberg, The Netherlands: Institute for Perception RVO-TNO
Poppel, E. (1971). Oscillations as possible basis for time perception.Studium Generale,24, 85–107. [Reprinted in J. T. Fraser (Ed.),The study of time (pp. 219–241). Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1972.]
Pöppel, E. (1978). Time perception In R. Held, H. W. Leibowitz, & H.-L. Teuber (Eds.),Handbook of sensory physiology: Vol. 8. Perception, (pp. 713–729). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Pöppel, E. (1988).Mindworks: Time and conscious experience Boston: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Pöppel, E. (1989). The measurement of music and the cerebral clock A new theory.Leonardo,22, 83–89.
Povel, D.-J. (1981). Internal representation of simple temporal patterns.Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance,7, 3–18
Rammsayer, T. H., &Lima, S. D. (1991). Duration discrimination of filled and empty auditory intervals.Cognitive and perceptual factors. Perception & Psychophysics,50, 565–574.
Richards, W. (1964). Time estimates measured by reproductionPerceptual & Motor Skills,18, 929–943.
Schleidt, M., Eibl-Eibesfeldt, J., &Pöppel, E. (1987). A universal constant in temporal segmentation of human short-term behavior.Naturwissenschaften,74, 289–290.
Smith, J. (1983). Reproduction and representation of musical rhythms: The effect of musical skill. In D. R. Rogers & J. A. Sloboda (Eds.),Acquisition of symbolic skills (pp. 273–282). New York: Plenum
Summers, J. J. (1975) The role of timing in motor program representation.Journal of Motor Behavior,7, 229–241.
Summers, J. J., Sargent, G. I., &Hawkins, S. R. (1984). Rhythm and the timing of movement sequences.Psychological Research,46, 107–119.
Vos, P. G., &Ellermann, H. H. (1989). Precision and accuracy in the reproduction of simple tone sequences.Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance,15, 179–187.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by Grant PO 121/13 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (E.P., principal investigator) and by an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellowship granted to J.M. The final revision of the text was done while J.M.’s research was being supported by a fellowship from the Max Planck Society, at the Max-Planck-Institute for Psychological Research, Munich, Germany.
Accepted by previous editor, Charles W Enksen
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Franěk, M., Mates, J., Radil, T. et al. Sensorimotor synchronization: Motor responses to pseudoregular auditory patterns. Perception & Psychophysics 55, 204–217 (1994). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211667
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211667