The Remapping of Time by Active Tool-Use

Tools

Anelli, Filomena; Candini, Michela; Cappelletti, Marinella; Oliveri, Massimiliano and Frassinetti, Francesca. 2015. The Remapping of Time by Active Tool-Use. PLoS ONE, 10(12), e0146175. ISSN 1932-6203 [Article]

Preview

Text
AnelliEtAl_TimeAndToolUse_PlosOne_2015.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (843kB) | Preview

Official URL: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.137...

Abstract or Description

Multiple, action-based space representations are each based on the extent to which action is possible toward a specific sector of space, such as near/reachable and far/unreachable. Studies on tool-use revealed how the boundaries between these representations are dynamic. Space is not only multidimensional and dynamic, but it is also known for interacting with other dimensions of magnitude, such as time. However, whether time operates on similar action-driven multiple representations and whether it can be modulated by tool-use is yet unknown. To address these issues, healthy participants performed a time bisection task in two spatial positions (near and far space) before and after an active tool-use training, which consisted of performing goal-directed actions holding a tool with their right hand (Experiment 1). Before training, perceived stimuli duration was influenced by their spatial position defined by action. Hence, a dissociation emerged between near/reachable and far/unreachable space. Strikingly, this dissociation disappeared after the active tool-use training since temporal stimuli were now perceived as nearer. The remapping was not found when a passive tool-training was executed (Experiment 2) or when the active tool-training was performed with participants’ left hand (Experiment 3). Moreover, no time remapping was observed following an equivalent active hand-training but without a tool (Experiment 4). Taken together, our findings reveal that time processing is based on action-driven multiple representations. The dynamic nature of these representations is demonstrated by the remapping of time, which is action- and effector-dependent.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0146175

Additional Information:

This work was supported by Fondazione Del Monte of Bologna and Ravenna (Italy), by Fondazione Maugeri, and by RFO (Ricerca Fondamentale Orientata, Ministry of University and Research) to FF. No grant number is available. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.