Time perception (TP) represents a fundamental issue in cognitive science and neurosciences. However, the cognitive mechanisms and brain areas involved are still underspecified. Uncovering the processes underlying TP will specify its interactions with action, attention, memory, and language and will make crucial contributions to our understanding of longstanding questions on various aspects of time (synchrony, duration, etc.). To investigate TP one has to move away from the single-discipline perspective and profit from the synergy of theoretical and methodological inputs from different disciplines. Currently, time research is spread out across European and international laboratories. Advancement in the study of TP poses a challenge and, thus, it requires the coordination of actions within the EU community and internationally. The essence of this Action is a multidisciplinary union of senior and junior scientists who work on TP.
The TIMELY Action aims to develop a scientific network that will establish the first European community on TP. The main objective of the Action is to advance the understanding of the processes underlying Time Perception (TP) by exploring the relevant multidisciplinary theoretical, behavioral, neurobiological, and clinical perspectives.
The TIMELY COST action aims at coordinating efforts on the following objectives:
- Objective A: Critically examine the current definitions and measurements methods associated with TP. Develop a common code of communication for TP and new behavioral/imaging paradigms for measuring TP.
- Objective B: Critically examine the links between time and: memory, attention, language, culture, and particularly to emphasize on the TP changes observed in infants and elderly.
- Objective C: Critically examine the appropriate path of utilizing complex stimuli in TP research and create new research materials and tools.
- Objective D: Critically examine the research on the neural correlates of TP and develop theories of how TP is represented in the brain in healthy and clinical populations.
- Objective E: Provide young researchers with training opportunities through the diverse expertise and research projects being integrated in this Action.
For Swiss researchers, an immediate benefit of the Action is the opportunity of collaborating with international research groups to foster advancement of the field of time perception in terms of new empirical, theoretical and methodological knowledge. The collaboration will be nurtured by intensive information and knowledge sharing (e.g., workshops, seminars) and is intended to lead research outputs (e.g., publications, edited books, reports published on-line, presentations at academic conferences).
Should you be interested in the “TIMELY” COST Action, please contact the COST coordinator for Switzerland, member of the COST TD0904 management committee:
Lucas SPIERER, PhD
Faculty of Biology and Medicine – UNIL
Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation Service - CHUV
av. Pierre-Decker 5 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Ph.: +41'21'314'13'17
fax:+41'21'314'13'19
e-mail: Lucas.Spierer@chuv.ch
For further details on the COST organization: http://www.cost.esf.org/
