Paced Motor Timing Task
Background
The Paced Motor Timing Task (PMTT) is a measure of an individual's ability to synchronize voluntary movements with an external stimulus, such as auditory beeps, similarly to a metronome. It is used to evaluate temporal processing, coordination, and motor timing. The PMTT is an old paradigm that can be traced back to H. C. Stevens in 1886 who studied the regularity and variability of rhythmic finger tapping.
The Millisecond PMTT is based on a publication by Marc Wittman and colleagues from 2007 who explored time perception in stimulant-dependent individuals and found that they exhibited altered time processing in several domains which can be explained by increased impulsivity, particularly in relation to longer time intervals.
The Millisecond PMTT task consists of two phases:
- Pacing
- Continuation
Task Procedure
Participants start the task with the Pacing Task (Phase 1). The Pacing Task tests three different pacing speeds (1s,2s,4s) with one round each. The order of the pacing speeds is determined randomly. Each round starts presenting the pacing beep at the selected speed, and participants are asked to press the spacebar in synchronization with the beeps. The first 10 beeps are practice beeps, the last 10 beeps are test beeps. In the Pacing condition deviations from the pacer signal are recorded. These deviations can occur before or after the beep. In the Continuation phase (Phase 2), the same three randomized pacing speeds are tested. Participants are again asked to synchronize their spacebar presses with the signal beep. However, after the first 10 signals, the pacing signals stop and participants are asked to continue 'tapping' at the same speed. In the Continuation condition, the average tap interval is measured.
What it Measures
The Paced Motor Timing Task (PMTT) is a measure of temporal processing, coordination, and motor timing.
Psychological domains
- Temporal Judgment (Time Perception): Ability to estimate the passage of time
- Psychomotor Speed: Speed and consistency of physical responses based on sensory input
Main Performance Metrics
- Tap Asynchrony: The mean directional time difference between the onset of a tap and the onset of the pacing signal (Pacing Phase)
- Absolute Error: The mean absolute time difference between the onset of a tap and the onset of the pacing signal (Pacing Phase)
- Mean Tap Interval: The mean time interval in between taps
- Tap Interval Variability: The standard standard deviation of tap intervals
- Coefficient of Tap Variability: The tap variability relative to the mean tap interval
Psychiatric Conditions
The following patient groups show impaired performance on the PMTT:
- Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Schizophrenia
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A time estimation task in which participants synchronize responses with a steady series of beeps as described in Wittman et al (2007).
References
Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Paced Motor Timing Task.
Wittmann, M., Leland, D.S., Jan Churan, J. & Paulus, M.P.(2007). Impaired time perception and motor timing in stimulant-dependent subjects. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 90, 183–192.