Presentation Information
[S7-01]Beyond the Lab: Timing Perception and Cognition in Online and Mobile Environments
*David Melcher1 (1. New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates))
Keywords:
Temporal Processing,Web-Based Research,Sensory Integration,Entrainment,Individual Differences
The ability of the brain to represent, integrate, and segregate events over time lies at the core of human cognition and behaviour. From low-level sensory processing to high-level cognitive functions, temporal processing shapes how we perceive the world, allocate attention, and make decisions. Traditionally, research on temporal processing has relied on highly controlled laboratory settings.
These environments enable millisecond-level precision for stimulus presentation and response recording, providing powerful tools to uncover the temporal structure of perception. However, lab-based experiments have notable limitations: they often rely on narrow participant pools, limiting generalizability and statistical power, and they require significant resources, physical space, and specialized equipment.
While laboratories remain the gold standard in timing research, these constraints highlight the growing appeal of web-based experimentation (Bridges et al. 2020). Recent advances in online platforms have improved the precision and reliability of behavioural and psychophysical tasks conducted remotely, creating new opportunities for high-quality timing research outside the lab.
Similarly, the widespread use of smartphones and tablets has enabled novel methods to study temporal dynamics in ecologically valid, real-world contexts (Marsicano et al. 2022; 2024). Both web-based and mobile approaches, though offering reduced experimental control, allow for scalable data collection across diverse populations and can track within-subject variability across time and settings.
These environments enable millisecond-level precision for stimulus presentation and response recording, providing powerful tools to uncover the temporal structure of perception. However, lab-based experiments have notable limitations: they often rely on narrow participant pools, limiting generalizability and statistical power, and they require significant resources, physical space, and specialized equipment.
While laboratories remain the gold standard in timing research, these constraints highlight the growing appeal of web-based experimentation (Bridges et al. 2020). Recent advances in online platforms have improved the precision and reliability of behavioural and psychophysical tasks conducted remotely, creating new opportunities for high-quality timing research outside the lab.
Similarly, the widespread use of smartphones and tablets has enabled novel methods to study temporal dynamics in ecologically valid, real-world contexts (Marsicano et al. 2022; 2024). Both web-based and mobile approaches, though offering reduced experimental control, allow for scalable data collection across diverse populations and can track within-subject variability across time and settings.