The Impact of Temporal Unpredictability and Probabilistic Uncertainty on Time Perception

In the current study, therefore, we aim to utilize a modified version of the “Threat of Scream” paradigm (TOSc; a non-invasive method that has previously been found to be efficient for eliciting sustained anxiety through varying intensity screams -lower or equal to 70dB; Beaurenaut et al., 2020) combined with a temporal bisection task, attempting to dissociate the impact of temporal unpredictability and probabilistic uncertainty on time awareness. Unlike former studies, we will expose the participants to five different conditions, those of: certain threat (CT; 100% reinforcement, temporally predictable scream), temporal unpredictability (TU; 100% reinforcement, temporally unpredictable scream), probabilistic uncertainty (PU; 50% reinforcement, temporally predictable scream), maximum ambiguity (MA; 50% reinforcement, temporally unpredictable scream), and safe condition (S; no threat of scream). Given that intolerance to uncertainty (IU) has been identified in several internalizing conditions (Chin et al., 2016; Talkovsky & Norton, 2016) and conceptualized by some researchers as a transdiagnostic factor of psychopathology (Boswell et al., 2013; Chin et al., 2016; Talkovsky & Norton, 2016; McEvoy & Mahoney, 2012; Shapiro et al., 2020), we will also explore, using a validated self-report questionnaire (Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale; IUS-12; Mantzios et al., 2014), whether variations in IU alter time perception in light of ambiguity. The Research Questions are developed as follows: 1) Are there any differences between the two types of ambiguity on time estimation? 2) Is the combination of two types of ambiguity perceived as the most aversive, resulting in maximum time estimation variability? 3) Is time overestimated under certain threat? 4) Does our intolerance to uncertainty levels modulate our time estimation under ambiguous conditions?