Is audiovisual synchrony perception related to rhythm?

Abstract

Perception of audiovisual synchrony have been demonstrated to vary depending on different factors, such as individual differences. Some research indicates that differences in timing abilities might affect our perception of audiovisual synchrony. For instance, studies have found that musicians demonstrate more accurate performance in many timing tasks, such as simultaneity judgement tasks and rhythm tasks. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate whether differences in rhythmic ability could account for some of the individual differences observed in audiovisual synchrony. It was hypothesized that a relationship between the two tasks would be observed, demonstrating a reliance upon common timing mechanisms. To test the hypothesis, a simultaneity judgement task with speech was compared to a simple finger-tapping task to an external rhythm. Musical experience was also tested for in both tasks. The results demonstrated no significant correlations between the simultaneity judgement task and the rhythm task. This result might reflect differences in task demands, suggesting a reliance upon different timing mechanisms. However, musicians demonstrated to perform with higher accuracy in both tasks. The result in the current study contributes to the understanding of the complex timing processes underlying perception of audiovisual synchrony, and suggests support for distinct timing mechanisms.