Nicholls M E, Atkinson J
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, U.K.
Neuropsychologia. 1993 Nov;31(11):1181-90. doi: 10.1016/0028-3932(93)90066-9.
Two thematic versions of an inspection time task were administered to 18 normal, right-handed subjects. For both tasks, subjects were required to make a categorical discrimination related to the length of two lines. In one version of the task (time task), difficulty was manipulated by varying the exposure duration of the lines. In the other version (length task), difficulty was manipulated by varying the degree to which one line was shorter than the other. The time task was designed to measure the temporal acuity of the observer while the length task was used to gauge subjects' capacity for the same categorical discrimination; independent of temporal acuity. Thus, the two tasks were designed to dissociate the categorical and temporal aspects of the inspection time task. Divided visual field techniques revealed a significant left hemisphere (LH) advantage for the time task, but no asymmetry for the length task. These results could not be accounted for in terms of the categorical nature of the representation. A model, related to the LH's predisposition for the detection of fine temporal events provided a more satisfactory account of the results.
对18名正常的右利手受试者进行了检查时间任务的两个主题版本测试。在这两个任务中，受试者都需要对两条线的长度进行分类辨别。在任务的一个版本（时间任务）中，通过改变线的呈现持续时间来操纵难度。在另一个版本（长度任务）中，通过改变一条线比另一条线短的程度来操纵难度。时间任务旨在测量观察者的时间敏锐度，而长度任务则用于评估受试者进行相同分类辨别的能力；与时间敏锐度无关。因此，这两个任务旨在区分检查时间任务的分类和时间方面。视野分割技术显示，时间任务存在显著的左半球（LH）优势，但长度任务没有不对称性。这些结果无法用表征的分类性质来解释。一个与左半球检测精细时间事件的倾向相关的模型对结果提供了更令人满意的解释。
