EEG correlates of cognitive time scales in the Necker-Zeno model for bistable perception

J Kornmeier; E Friedel; M Wittmann; H Atmanspacher

doi:10.1016/j.concog.2017.04.011

EEG correlates of cognitive time scales in the Necker-Zeno model for bistable perception

Conscious Cogn. 2017 Aug:53:136-150. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2017.04.011. Epub 2017 Jun 27.

Authors

J Kornmeier¹, E Friedel², M Wittmann³, H Atmanspacher⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Wilhelmstraße 3a, 79098 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Mental Disorders, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 5, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; Eye Center, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Killianstraße 5, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: Juergen.kornmeier@uni-freiburg.de.
² Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Wilhelmstraße 3a, 79098 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Mental Disorders, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 5, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; Eye Center, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Killianstraße 5, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
³ Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Wilhelmstraße 3a, 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Wilhelmstraße 3a, 79098 Freiburg, Germany; Collegium Helveticum, Schmelzbergstraße 25, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; University of Zürich, Rämistraße 71, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland; ETH Zürich, Rämistraße 101, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.

PMID: 28666186
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2017.04.011

Abstract

The Necker-Zeno model of bistable perception provides a formal relation between the average duration of meta-stable percepts (dwell times T) of ambiguous figures and two other basic time scales (t₀, ΔT) underlying cognitive processing. The model predicts that dwell times T covary with t₀, ΔT or both. We tested this prediction by exploiting that observers, in particular experienced meditators, can volitionally control dwell times T. Meditators and non-meditators observed bistable Necker cubes either passively or tried to hold their current percept. The latencies of a centro-parietal event-related potential (CPP) were recorded as a physiological correlate of t₀. Dwell times T and the CPP latencies, correlated with t₀, differed between conditions and observer groups, while ΔT remained constant in the range predicted by the model. The covariation of CPP latencies and dwell times, as well as their quadratic functional dependence extends previous psychophysical confirmation of the Necker-Zeno model to psychophysiological measures.

Keywords: Ambiguous figures; Bistable perception; Cognitive time scales; EEG; Event-related potentials; Meditation; Necker cube; Necker-Zeno model; Quantum cognition.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
Electroencephalography
Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology
Evoked Potentials / physiology*
Female
Humans
Male
Meditation*
Middle Aged
Models, Theoretical*
Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology*
Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
Space Perception / physiology*