Near-optimal integration of the magnitude Information of time and numerosity

Abstract

Magnitude information is often correlated in the external world, providing complementary information about the environment. As if to reflect this relationship, the perceptions of different magnitudes (e.g., time and numerosity) are known to influence one another. Recent studies suggest that such magnitude interaction is similar to cue integration, such as multisensory integration. Here, we tested whether human observers could integrate the magnitudes of two quantities with distinct physical units (i.e., time and numerosity) as abstract magnitude information. The participants compared the magnitudes of two visual stimuli based on time, numerosity, or both. Consistent with the predictions of the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) model, the participants integrated time and numerosity in a near-optimal manner; the weights for numerosity increased as the reliability of the numerosity information increased, and the integrated estimate was more reliable than either the time or numerosity estimate. Furthermore, the integration approached a statistical optimum as the temporal discrepancy of the acquisition of each piece of information became smaller. These results suggest that magnitude interaction arises through a similar computational mechanism to cue integration. They are also consistent with the idea that different magnitudes are processed by a generalized magnitude system.

Attention Modulates the Effects of Stimulus Brightness and Contrast on Time Perception

“…In addition to attention, the physical properties of the timed stimuli themselves can also significantly influence perceived durations, even in the absence of explicit attentional manipulations. Studies have consistently shown that stimuli with larger magnitudes in dimensions like size, numerosity, or speed tend to be perceived as having longer durations (Brown, 1995;Cai & Connell, 2015;Droit-Volet & Wearden, 2002;Eagleman, 2008;Herbst et al, 2013;Kanai & Watanabe, 2006;Kaneko & Murakami, 2009;Karşılar et al, 2018;Karşılar & Balcı, 2016Matthews, 2011;New & Scholl, 2009;Ono & Kawahara, 2007;Otsuka & Yotsumoto, 2023;Rammsayer & Verner, 2014;Schlichting et al, 2020;Xuan et al, 2007;Yamamoto & Miura, 2012). Stimulus brightness, in particular, has been shown to lengthen perceived duration, with brighter stimuli judged as lasting longer than dimmer ones (Brigner, 1986;Goldstone et al, 1978;Goldstone & Goldfarb, 1964;Matthews et al, 2011).…”