From finger to whole-body movements: How movement type affects our sense of time
Psychological Research. 2025-11-28; 89(6):
DOI: 10.1007/s00426-025-02213-1
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https://www.bordeaux-neurocampus.fr/12314
Pfaff M(1), Pfeuty M(2), Monfort V(3), Thomas E(4), Casteran M(3)(5).
Author information:
(1)Université de Lorraine, 2LPN, Nancy, F-54000, France.
.
(2)Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, F-33000, France.
(3)Université de Lorraine, 2LPN, Nancy, F-54000, France.
(4)Université de Bourgogne Europe, INSERM/U1093 CAPS, UFR STAPS, Dijon, F-21000,
France.
(5)Université de Lorraine, UR DevAH, Nancy, F-54000, France.
Interval timing is essential for adapting behaviour in dynamic environments.
While previous research has shown that time perception is influenced by
movement, the role of movement type in this interaction remains poorly
understood. The present study aimed to further investigate this interaction, by
comparing temporal performance (i.e., temporal accuracy and precision) across
two movement types: whole-body reaching (WBR) movements and finger movements.
Fourteen participants reproduced time intervals while performing both movement
types using five target durations centred around the natural duration of the WBR
movement. We observed lower temporal variability with WBR movements compared to finger movements. This can be explained by a Bayesian cue combination framework or an increase of the pacemaker rate within the Scalar Expectancy Theory. Regarding temporal accuracy, intervals were over-reproduced with finger movements compared to WBR movements, possibly due to fluctuations in attentional allocation during finger movements or an increase of the pacemaker rate during WBR movements. Additionally, within the WBR condition, shorter intervals were over-reproduced, which may reflect either subjective time compression induced by faster movements, or the influence of biomechanical constraints. These findings extend current models by suggesting that motor execution actively shapes temporal performance, serving as more than just a final output mechanism. This could hold implications for training and rehabilitation strategies, where engaging whole-body movements may help reduce temporal variability.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany,
part of Springer Nature.
DOI: 10.1007/s00426-025-02213-1
PMID: 41313457 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Declarations. Ethical approval: The study was
approved by the Comité d’Ethique de la Recherche, the local Ethics Committee of
Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté (CERUBFC-2023-03-08-012). Competing
interests: The authors declare no competing interests.