Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition
Introduction: The human brain has evolved under the constraint of survival in complex dynamic situations. It makes fast and reliable decisions based on internal representations of the environment. Whereas neural mechanisms involved in the internal representation of space are becoming known, entire s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Advanced Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220301946 |
| _version_ | 1818609952021807104 |
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| author | José Antonio Villacorta-Atienza Carlos Calvo Tapia Sergio Díez-Hermano Abel Sánchez-Jiménez Sergey Lobov Nadia Krilova Antonio Murciano Gabriela E. López-Tolsa Ricardo Pellón Valeri A. Makarov |
| author_facet | José Antonio Villacorta-Atienza Carlos Calvo Tapia Sergio Díez-Hermano Abel Sánchez-Jiménez Sergey Lobov Nadia Krilova Antonio Murciano Gabriela E. López-Tolsa Ricardo Pellón Valeri A. Makarov |
| author_sort | José Antonio Villacorta-Atienza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: The human brain has evolved under the constraint of survival in complex dynamic situations. It makes fast and reliable decisions based on internal representations of the environment. Whereas neural mechanisms involved in the internal representation of space are becoming known, entire spatiotemporal cognition remains a challenge. Growing experimental evidence suggests that brain mechanisms devoted to spatial cognition may also participate in spatiotemporal information processing. Objectives: The time compaction hypothesis postulates that the brain represents both static and dynamic situations as purely static maps. Such an internal reduction of the external complexity allows humans to process time-changing situations in real-time efficiently. According to time compaction, there may be a deep inner similarity between the representation of conventional static and dynamic visual stimuli. Here, we test the hypothesis and report the first experimental evidence of time compaction in humans. Methods: We engaged human subjects in a discrimination-learning task consisting in the classification of static and dynamic visual stimuli. When there was a hidden correspondence between static and dynamic stimuli due to time compaction, the learning performance was expected to be modulated. We studied such a modulation experimentally and by a computational model. Results: The collected data validated the predicted learning modulation and confirmed that time compaction is a salient cognitive strategy adopted by the human brain to process time-changing situations. Mathematical modelling supported the finding. We also revealed that men are more prone to exploit time compaction in accordance with the context of the hypothesis as a cognitive basis for survival. Conclusions: The static internal representation of dynamic situations is a human cognitive mechanism involved in decision-making and strategy planning to cope with time-changing environments. The finding opens a new venue to understand how humans efficiently interact with our dynamic world and thrive in nature. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:06:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22aa52af527741f894b347751861cea0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-1232 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:06:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Advanced Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-22aa52af527741f894b347751861cea02022-12-21T22:27:06ZengElsevierJournal of Advanced Research2090-12322021-02-0128111125Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognitionJosé Antonio Villacorta-Atienza0Carlos Calvo Tapia1Sergio Díez-Hermano2Abel Sánchez-Jiménez3Sergey Lobov4Nadia Krilova5Antonio Murciano6Gabriela E. López-Tolsa7Ricardo Pellón8Valeri A. Makarov9B.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Corresponding authors at: Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, SpainB.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, SpainB.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, SpainNeural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, RussiaNeural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, RussiaB.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, SpainDepartment of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, National Distance Education University, SpainDepartment of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, National Distance Education University, SpainInstitute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Neural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; Corresponding authors at: Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.Introduction: The human brain has evolved under the constraint of survival in complex dynamic situations. It makes fast and reliable decisions based on internal representations of the environment. Whereas neural mechanisms involved in the internal representation of space are becoming known, entire spatiotemporal cognition remains a challenge. Growing experimental evidence suggests that brain mechanisms devoted to spatial cognition may also participate in spatiotemporal information processing. Objectives: The time compaction hypothesis postulates that the brain represents both static and dynamic situations as purely static maps. Such an internal reduction of the external complexity allows humans to process time-changing situations in real-time efficiently. According to time compaction, there may be a deep inner similarity between the representation of conventional static and dynamic visual stimuli. Here, we test the hypothesis and report the first experimental evidence of time compaction in humans. Methods: We engaged human subjects in a discrimination-learning task consisting in the classification of static and dynamic visual stimuli. When there was a hidden correspondence between static and dynamic stimuli due to time compaction, the learning performance was expected to be modulated. We studied such a modulation experimentally and by a computational model. Results: The collected data validated the predicted learning modulation and confirmed that time compaction is a salient cognitive strategy adopted by the human brain to process time-changing situations. Mathematical modelling supported the finding. We also revealed that men are more prone to exploit time compaction in accordance with the context of the hypothesis as a cognitive basis for survival. Conclusions: The static internal representation of dynamic situations is a human cognitive mechanism involved in decision-making and strategy planning to cope with time-changing environments. The finding opens a new venue to understand how humans efficiently interact with our dynamic world and thrive in nature.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220301946Spatiotemporal cognitionDecision makingDynamic environmentsStrategy planning |
| spellingShingle | José Antonio Villacorta-Atienza Carlos Calvo Tapia Sergio Díez-Hermano Abel Sánchez-Jiménez Sergey Lobov Nadia Krilova Antonio Murciano Gabriela E. López-Tolsa Ricardo Pellón Valeri A. Makarov Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition Journal of Advanced Research Spatiotemporal cognition Decision making Dynamic environments Strategy planning |
| title | Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| title_full | Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| title_fullStr | Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| title_short | Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| title_sort | static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition |
| topic | Spatiotemporal cognition Decision making Dynamic environments Strategy planning |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220301946 |
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