Short-term memory (STM) has demonstrated to be affected by serial order, involving the use of rhythm and entrainment to stimuli. However, less is known of the extent of this relationship and language learning, and the literature focuses on words rather than sentences. Moreover, the literature lacks an exploration of whether this relationship has a correlation with MMN responses. We had 30 participants (21 female) complete two sentence repetition tasks, a temporal rhythm accuracy task, and two temporal order judgment tasks. We also recorded the electroencephalograms (EEG) from 24 of the participants (17 female) while they listened to syllables differing by time of presentation and differing by consonant and vowel. We then correlated performance on these tasks to performance on a foreign-word learning (FWL) task. We hypothesized that the STM tasks would predict performance in the FWL task, and we explored whether temporal accuracy and word learning correlated with MMN responses to early stimuli. We found that only the foreign sentence repetition task significantly predicted performance in the FWL task. We also did not find any significant correlations with MMN responses and temporal accuracy and word learning abilities. Findings show that with previous exposure to a novel language, the prosodic pattern of the foreign language is stored temporarily in STM, which enhances learning of the foreign words. Further exploration is needed to understand the relationship of temporal order and language learning with cortical responses. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Spoken language is driven by rhythm and keeping track of this rhythm allows us to keep track of the order in which sounds in language are presented. Remembering the order of items requires the use of short-term memory. The better one is at repeating back the order of items, the better they are at learning new words. This thesis investigates the relationship between various short-term memory tasks (English nonword sentence repetition task, foreign sentence repetition task, temporal rhythm accuracy task, auditory judgment task, visual judgment task) and foreign-word learning. This thesis also explores whether there is a correlation between one’s brain responses to differing stimuli and a person’s ability to track the timing and order of items, as well as a person’s ability to learn new words. The results reveal that only the foreign sentence repetition task, using the same foreign language as the word learning task, significantly predicts one’s ability to accurately learn foreign words. The results did not show any significant interaction between one’s neural responses and rhythm or word learning. These results suggest that the ability to maintain the order of items in memory aids word learning, but further exploration is required with regards to non-verbal stimuli and neural responses. It is important to investigate individual differences in repetition tasks that require short-term memory, as this will aid in understanding normal language development and language acquisition.

The experiments reported within this thesis use psychophysical techniques to examine the factors which determine perceived multisensory timing in humans. Chapters 1 and 2 describe anatomical and psychophysical features of temporal processing, respectively, whilst Chapter 3 introduces the reader to psychophysical methods. Chapter 4 examines the relationship between two measures of sensory latency, reaction time (RT) and crossmodal temporal order judgment (TOJ). Despite task and attentional manipulations the two measures do not correlate, suggesting that they measure some fundamentally different aspect(s) of temporal perception. Chapter 5 examines the effects of adaptation to asynchronous stimulus pairs on perceived audiovisual (AV), audiotactile (AT) and visuotactile (VT) temporal order. Significant temporal shifts are recorded in all three conditions. Evidence is also presented showing that crossmodal TOJs are intransitive. Chapter 6 shows that concurrent adaptation to two sets of asynchronous AV stimulus pairs causes perceived AV temporal order to recalibrate at two locations simultaneously, and that AV asynchrony adaptation effects are significantly affected by observers' attention during adaptation. Finally, Chapter 7 shows that when observers are accustomed to a physical delay between motor actions and sensory events, an event presented at a reduced delay appears to precede the causative motor action. The data are well-described by a simple model based on a strong prior assumption of physical synchrony between motor actions and their sensory consequences.

Nós realizamos três experimentos para estudar a distribuição da atenção pelo campo visual e a possibilidade dos recursos atentivos serem mais concentrados no interior de uma área delimitada por uma figura geométrica de aparecimento abrupto. Os participantes realizaram uma tarefa de julgamento de ordem temporal (JOT), na qual julgaram a ordem de duas letras apresentadas em seqüência. Uma letra foi apresentada dentro e a outra fora de uma moldura, que não foi relacionada com a tarefa. A percepção de ordem temporal foi influenciada pela moldura nos três experimentos. A variação da distância entre as duas letras e o tempo de exposição da moldura foram manipulados, alterando o julgamento dos participantes. Os resultados demonstraram uma variação na concentração dos recursos atentivos em função da distância entre as duas letras e em função do tempo de exposição da moldura. Os resultados sugerem que a forma de uma figura geométrica pode produzir uma reorganização dos recursos atentivos, que parecem estar mais concentrados dentro do que fora das suas bordas. / We conducted three experiments to examine the distribution of visual attention and the possibility of the attentional resources to be concentrated along an area delimited by a frame of abrupt onset. The participants performed a temporal order judgment (TOJ) task, in which judged the order of two letters presented in sequence. One letter was showed inside and other outside a frame that was not related to the task. Perception of temporal order was influenced by the frame in all experimental conditions. The judgement of participants was affected by the distance between the two letters and the cue lead time. The findings suggest that the form of a geometric figure can reallocate the resources of attention that should be more concentrated inside than outside of its borders.

Nós realizamos três experimentos para estudar a distribuição da atenção pelo campo visual e a possibilidade dos recursos atentivos serem mais concentrados no interior de uma área delimitada por uma figura geométrica de aparecimento abrupto. Os participantes realizaram uma tarefa de julgamento de ordem temporal (JOT), na qual julgaram a ordem de duas letras apresentadas em seqüência. Uma letra foi apresentada dentro e a outra fora de uma moldura, que não foi relacionada com a tarefa. A percepção de ordem temporal foi influenciada pela moldura nos três experimentos. A variação da distância entre as duas letras e o tempo de exposição da moldura foram manipulados, alterando o julgamento dos participantes. Os resultados demonstraram uma variação na concentração dos recursos atentivos em função da distância entre as duas letras e em função do tempo de exposição da moldura. Os resultados sugerem que a forma de uma figura geométrica pode produzir uma reorganização dos recursos atentivos, que parecem estar mais concentrados dentro do que fora das suas bordas. / We conducted three experiments to examine the distribution of visual attention and the possibility of the attentional resources to be concentrated along an area delimited by a frame of abrupt onset. The participants performed a temporal order judgment (TOJ) task, in which judged the order of two letters presented in sequence. One letter was showed inside and other outside a frame that was not related to the task. Perception of temporal order was influenced by the frame in all experimental conditions. The judgement of participants was affected by the distance between the two letters and the cue lead time. The findings suggest that the form of a geometric figure can reallocate the resources of attention that should be more concentrated inside than outside of its borders.

博士(工学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

The experiments reported within this thesis use psychophysical techniques to examine the factors which determine perceived multisensory timing in humans. Chapters 1 and 2 describe anatomical and psychophysical features of temporal processing, respectively, whilst Chapter 3 introduces the reader to psychophysical methods. Chapter 4 examines the relationship between two measures of sensory latency, reaction time (RT) and crossmodal temporal order judgment (TOJ). Despite task and attentional manipulations the two measures do not correlate, suggesting that they measure some fundamentally different aspect(s) of temporal perception. Chapter 5 examines the effects of adaptation to asynchronous stimulus pairs on perceived audiovisual (AV), audiotactile (AT) and visuotactile (VT) temporal order. Significant temporal shifts are recorded in all three conditions. Evidence is also presented showing that crossmodal TOJs are intransitive. Chapter 6 shows that concurrent adaptation to two sets of asynchronous AV stimulus pairs causes perceived AV temporal order to recalibrate at two locations simultaneously, and that AV asynchrony adaptation effects are significantly affected by observers¿ attention during adaptation. Finally, Chapter 7 shows that when observers are accustomed to a physical delay between motor actions and sensory events, an event presented at a reduced delay appears to precede the causative motor action. The data are well-described by a simple model based on a strong prior assumption of physical synchrony between motor actions and their sensory consequences.

<p>Temporal order judgment (TOJ) refers to one’s ability to successively report the temporal order of two tactile stimuli delivered to independent skin sites. The brain regions involved in processing TOJ remain unclear. Research has shown that TOJ performance can be impaired with a conditioning background stimuli and this phenomenon, known as TOJ synchronization (TOJ-S), is suggested to be mediated by inhibitory neural mechanisms within the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) that create perceptual binding across the two skin sites. Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) over SI impairs tactile spatial and temporal acuity. This dissertation examines the effects of cTBS on TOJ and TOJ-S performance on the hand. In Experiment 1, TOJ and TOJ-S were measured from the right hand before and for up to 34 minutes following 50 Hz cTBS over SI. In Experiment 2, same measurements were obtained bilaterally for up to 42 minutes following 30 Hz cTBS over SI. Compared to pre-cTBS values, TOJ was impaired for up to 42 minutes on the right hand following 30 Hz cTBS. TOJ-S performance was improved for up to 18 minutes on the right hand following 50 Hz cTBS. These experiments reveal two major findings. First, cTBS act upon different inhibitory circuits that are suggested to mediate TOJ and TOJ-S. Second, cTBS parameters may dictate cTBS effects over SI excitability. The findings of this work not only emphasize the significant contributions of SI on tactile temporal perception, it provides novel insight of the underlying neural mechanisms of cTBS effects on SI cortical excitability.</p> / Master of Science in Kinesiology

Où va le temps de travail ? Cette thèse reprend et tente de prolonger cette interrogation formulée, il y a presque vingt ans. En s’appuyant sur une étude quantitative et qualitative des dispositifs négociés de compte épargne-temps et des stratégies d’articulation des temps sociaux mises en œuvre par les salariés, cette thèse donne corps à la notion de désynchronisation. En admettant que l’industrialisation ait conduit à une synchronisation des temps professionnels et sociaux, cette recherche s’attache à montrer que ce mouvement s’est inversé. Elle dessine les contours d’un phénomène en construction, qui permet des configurations individuelles des temps et généralise ses marchandages. La thèse dresse le bilan de cette évolution en matière d’égalité, de classes et de genre ; elle expose les possibilités d’articulation temporelle et les risques relatifs à l’isolement et au maintien du lien social. En cherchant à faire la lumière sur le phénomène de désynchronisation, cette thèse s’interroge sur l’avènement d’un nouvel ordre temporel : le marché des temps. / Where is working time going? This thesis resumes and attempts to extend this query/question formulated almost twenty years ago.Based on a quantitative and qualitative study of negotiated time-saving accounts, and on employees’ strategies for social times articulation, this PhD thesis gives substance to the notion of desynchronization. Assuming that industrialization has led to a synchronization of professional and social times, it seeks to show that this movement has been reversed. It describes this phenomenon under construction, which allows individual configurations and generalizes time bargaining. It assesses class and gender equality; it exposes the opportunities for time articulation; it qualifies the risks of isolation and reveals the consequences for social ties. In seeking to shed light on the phenomenon of desynchronization, this thesis questions the advent of a new temporal order: the market of times.

The subject of this dissertation is the representation of temporality, trauma and sexuality in Antanas Škėma’s fiction. The chapter “Temporal structures” examines temporal order in the writer’s novella “Isaac” according to Genettes narratology. The analysis reveals deliberately inserted mechanisms in the construction of the text, which disrupt the narrative investigation. A survey of temporal structures exposes invented events in the text and the definitions of “factual reality” and “imaginary reality” are introduced. The narrative analysis results in a hypothesis that Škėma’s text has been constructed as an imitation of human memory and as a representation of the factual reality outside the text. The chapters “Representation of trauma” and “Representation of sexual perversion” use Freud’s trauma theory and sexual theory as a method. Trauma appears to constitute the construction of the narrator and his urge to distort temporal links between the narrative and the story. When the narrator in Škėma’s “Isaac” focuses on the depiction of sexually perverted consciousness, the text affects the reader by forcing him to break off his horizons of expectation. The depiction of rape in Škėma’s fiction links the themes of sexuality and power and of sexuality and trauma. The writer detaches the representation of sexuality from the definition of love: sexuality, portrayed in the analyzed texts, appears to create its own norms. This is one of many ways to transform the depiction of sexual perversion into a social norm in Škėma’s narrative. The chapter “Škėma’s Autobiography and literary critics” provides a re-reading of the writer’s autobiography and his journalistic texts. The chapter ”Publication and reception of Škėma’s fiction” provides a compiled reading of earlier research and a survey of the writer’s books published in exile.

Voluntary actions affect subsequent perception. For example, an action that precedes an auditory stimulus is perceived to have occurred later in time than is actually the case, while the auditory stimulus is perceived earlier in time. This effect is known as intentional binding. Current literature regarding action effects focuses on perception of a single sensory modality while the effects on perception of multiple modalities remain largely unknown. The present thesis explored how actions influenced the timing of perceived multisensory events. Additionally, this thesis investigated differences in voluntary compared to involuntary actions on subsequent perception. In Chapter 2, action effects on perceived onsets of visual and tactile stimuli were explored. This question was extended to other bimodal pairs, including audiovisual and audiotactile, in Chapter 3. Lastly, in Chapter 4, action effects on temporal resolution were investigated. In all the experiments, participants performed a chosen or a fixed button press that followed a bimodal temporal order judgment (TOJ) task. To investigate the influence of spatial proximity between actions and stimuli on binding, in Chapters 2 and 3, each stimulus modality appeared on different sides. In Chapter 4, the critical stimuli appeared at the same location, either close to or far from the preceding action, to explore the effect of action on temporal resolution. The present data provide evidence that actions affect the perceived onsets of multisensory events in an idiosyncratic manner, depending on the subsequent stimuli. Actions appear to preferentially bind to vision, then touch, and lastly, audition, but actions do not always bind to subsequent stimuli. Furthermore, actions degrade temporal resolution of bimodal stimuli. Lastly, the type of action, whether chosen or fixed, did not impact the degree of binding. Together, these data contribute to the action-perception literature, illustrating that our behaviours dynamically affect how we perceive the world. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)