Temporal constraints on binding? Evidence from quantal state transitions in perception

Do behavioural observations on the transitions between alternative perceptu al interpretations of stimuli carry information about temporal characterist ics of brain activity involved in binding? Promising methods for capturing critical attributes of this activity are the psychophysical methods of para meter adjustment. Of particular value are situations that include an adjust ment of periodically repeating components, since the interaction of these w ith periodic "carrier processes" in the brain may produce informative patte rns of interference. Previous evidence reveals that in different paradigms the spectral time signatures of transition tune in to a superordinate struc ture of quantal time values. In agreement with predictions of the taxonomic "time quantum model" (TQM), quantal time values are organized in groups ca lled ranges which cover intervals of discretely varying sizes. These findin gs suggest properties characteristic of oscillatory mechanisms which are ac tive in temporal binding. Of critical importance is the extreme precision o f timing, agreement of critical periods across individuals, as well as acro ss tasks of varying complexity, and indications of single-shot timing.