Joint rushing alters internal timekeeping in non-musicians and musicians

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that people engaging in joint rhythmic activity unintentionally increase their tempo. The same tempo increase does not occur when the same rhythmic activity is performed alone. This phenomenon is known as joint rushing. In two experiments, we investigated whether joint rushing is caused by correction mechanisms that facilitate sensorimotor synchronization. Because such correction mechanisms require perceptual input, joint rushing should discontinue when auditory feedback in a joint rhythmic activity is interrupted. This prediction was clearly supported in two experiments, one with musicians and one with non-musicians. Surprisingly, there was no indication that the amount of joint rushing differed between musicians and non-musicians. Furthermore, neither musicians nor non-musicians were able to return to the initially instructed tempo after feedback had been interrupted. This result indicates that joint rushing has a lasting effect on an internal timekeeper. An important question for future research is whether joint rushing is only a dysfunctional side effect of the way sensorimotor synchronization works or whether it has a function in enabling precise temporal coordination between different individuals.