Continuation Tapping, Relaxation Time, Reaction Time, and Critical Flicker Fusion
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University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI Open Access Dissertations 1997 Individual Differences in Timing Measures: Continuation Tapping, Relaxation Time, Reaction Time, and Critical Flicker Fusion Anna S. Klevak University of Rhode Island Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss Recommended Citation Klevak, Anna S., "Individual Differences in Timing Measures: Continuation Tapping, Relaxation Time, Reaction Time, and Critical Flicker Fusion" (1997). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 989. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/989 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN TIMING MEASURES: CONTINUATION TAPPING, RELAXATION TIME, REACTION TIME, AND CRITICAL FLICKER FUSION. BY ANNAS. KLEVAK A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 1997 ABSTRACT In order to investigate human time sense individual differences in timing were studied in a sample of 39 healthy adults at rest. Fast Muscular Relaxation Time, Preferred Muscular Relaxation Time, Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold, Continuation Tapping, and Simple and Choice Reaction Times were examined with the aim of determining both linear and non-linear relationships among the measures. Several significant linear relationships among the variables were obtained. Subjects with higher Critical Flicker Fusion threshold exhibited significantly less overall variability in timing, (p<0. 001) and showed a slower increase in variability with increasing interstimulus interval. The Simple Reaction Time was positively correlated with the Fast Relaxation time (p<0.05). The finding of a positive association between Choice Reaction time and Simple Reaction time (p<0.001) was replicated in the present research. Subjects whose scores were located in the middle of the Preferred Muscular Relaxation Time (PMRT) distribution of scores exhibited less overall variability in Continuation Tapping (p<0.05) in comparison with subjects who were located at both ends of the PMRT distribution of scores. The effect was attributed to the mechanism of a biological clock. Some evidence for a relationship between the continuation tapping task and the single-response tasks was found. There was a tendency for Fast Muscular Relaxation Time, Preferred Muscular Relaxation Time, and Choice Reaction Time, to fall at time intervals where there are local maxima or minima in the function relating bias in continuation tapping to interstimulus interval. Overall, these relationships support the theory of multiple oscillators and the pattern of data suggests a rather strong possibility that the studied temporal characteristics - are regulated by a common oscillatory timing mechanism. ACKNOWLEDGMENT This research represents a pinnacle of my interest of many years in the study of individual differences in temporal characteristics. Naturally, I have accrued indebtedness to many people over the years of these studies. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my Professor at the Leningrad University, Joseph Paley, who greatly influenced my thinking in psychology and my choice of subject matter. Despite the fact that I was his student during the end of the 1970' s, I still utilize some of his creative ideas. Since I undertook these studies in the United States, my work has been enriched by many special people. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Charles Collyer, who has always been a rich source of knowledge for me and who has provided support during these years. When we first met, it was sometimes difficult for us to understand each other, being from different cultural backgrounds. However, he was always very patient with me and willing to make sense of my English. My gratitude also extends to the members of my committee for their efforts in assisting me through the process of my graduate experience: Professor Mark Rowinski at the Physical Therapy Department for his exceptional help iv in providing me with the equipment for this research and for his useful comments on the project. To Professor Paul Florin, who has been always willing to help me in any way and especially for providing me with the opportunity to work with subjects for the pilot study. Professor Nelson Smith, who was always ready to help with the equipment and to discuss any problems and questions that arose. It gives me pleasure to also thank Professor James Agostinucci, at the Physical Therapy Department, who while not a committee member, had given me his lab which I had occupied for almost three years and had never heard a word of complaint. My deepest gratitude goes to my friend Julian Butler, who during these years was close by, helping me in every aspect of technical support and for writing several excellent software programs for this research. I am also thankful to my friends Alexander Zaslavsky, and Leonid Sheftelevich for their help on this project. I owe a tremendous debt to my long suffering husband Eugene who during these years has been a source of immeasurable support; and to my brother Dmitry, who always has been willing to help me with any problems that arose; and to my mother Galina who took care of my family during these years and for her love and encouragement that has so enriched my life. V DEDICATION To two wonderful boys Andrew and Mitchell who bring joy and sense of purpose into my life. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................... ii Acknowledgments ......................................... iv Dedication .............................................. vi Table of Contents ..... ~ ................................. vii List of Tables . vi i i List of Figures .......................................... ix List of Appendices ........................................ x Introduction ............................................. 1 Research on Individual Time Sense ......................... 8 Research in Skeletal Muscular Relaxation ................ 10 Research in Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold ............ 14 Research in Reaction Time ............................... 15 Hypothesis and Predictions ............................... 19 Method ................................................... 2 5 Results ................................................. 37 Discussion ............................................... 67 Appendices .............................................. 77 Bibliography ........................................... 145 vii LIST OF TABLES TABLE I--------- Mean values for Fast Muscular Relaxation Time (FMRT), Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT) in Experiment 1. (p.39). TABLE II---------- Mean values for Critical Flicker Fusion Time(CFFT), Fast Muscular Relaxation Time(FMRT), Preferred Muscular Relaxation Time(PMRT), Simple Reaction Time(SRT), SRT Button Time(SRTBT), Choice Reaction Time(CRT), CRT Button Time (CRTBT). (p. 41). Table III. ------- Correlations Among the Variables. (p. 44). Table IV.--------- Regression Coefficients for Standard Deviation of ISI. (p. 54). viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 ------------------ Scattergram: SIQR/ISI and CFFT. (p.45). Figure 2.------------------- Scattergram: Slope of Standard Deviation vs ISI Function and CFFT. (p. 4 6) • Figure 3a.------------------- An Example of Low Temporal Resolution. (p. 4 7) . Figure 3b.------------------ An Example of High Temporal Resolution. (p.47). Figure 4.------------------- Comparative Bar Diagram for Preferred Muscular Relaxation Time (PMRT) and Accuracy in Manual Timing Performance (AMTP). (p. 50). Figure 5.------------------- Temporal Resolution in Groups with short, Intermediate, and Long PMRT. (P.51). Figure 6.------------------ IRI as a Function of ISI. (p. 52) • Figure 7.------------------- Residual Plot for Linear Regression IRI vs ISI. (p. 53) . Figure 8.------------------ Average Standard Deviation (n=38) vs ISI. (p. 55). Figure 9.----------------- Oscillator Signature, Experiment 1. (p. 57) . ix Figure 10.---------------- Oscillator Signature (Subject 41). (p. 59). Figure 11. ----------------- Oscillator Signature (Subject 41). (p. 60). Figure 12. ----------------- Oscillator Signature (Subject 36). (p. 61). Figure 13.----------------- Distributions of the First Derivatives of random Points. (p. 63) . Figure 14.----------------- Distributions of the First Derivatives for one Random Point and for the Temporal Measures (p.64). Figure 15.---------------- Average Oscillator Signature. (p. 65). X LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Page I ........ Consent Form ............................. 77 I I ........ Subject Protocol ......................... 7 9 III ....... PRB (Experiment 1) ....................... 80 IV ......... Median (Experiment 1) .................... 82 V .... Values of First Derivatives for PMRT, FMRT, CRT .......... and SRT Measures .......................... 8 4 VI ......... Variance ................................. 85 VII ........ Standard Deviation ....................... 87 VIII ....... SIQR / ISI ................................. 89 IX ........ SIQR .................................... 91 X •........ PRB ...................................... 93 XI ........ Average IRI .............................. 95 XI I ....... Median ................................... 97 XIII ....... Timing Test