The Influence of Auditory Rhythmic Stimulation on the Subjective Time Flow and the Reaction Time in Cognitive Tasks

The influence of rhythmic stimulation on subjective time flow and cognitive processes was studied. Forty four subjects had to categorize abstract, concrete and pseudo words, or duration of stimuli in series with different parallel auditory stimulation (simulated clock ticks with increased (1.25 Hz), normal (1.00 Hz) and decreased (0.75 Hz) rates), or without stimulation (control block). The reaction time was shown to be smaller under conditions of the decreased clock rate as compared to the increased rate or the absence of stimulation. The subjective duration of the series was also shorter in the first case. EEG data revealed the higher amplitude of the P300 component of the event-related potential and the lower alpha-rhythm power under conditions of stimulation with the decreased clock rate as compared to the increased rate.