时间的多维度空间表征:分离的起源与激活机制

近期研究发现时间可以分别在三个空间维度(左右、前后和上下)进行表征, 但不同维度心理时间线的起源和激活机制尚存争议。最新证据表明, 左右维度时间线主要起源于阅读/书写习惯所伴随的感觉运动经验, 其激活可能是一种低水平的感觉运动机制; 前后和上下维度时间线主要起源于语言中的空间隐喻, 其激活可能是一种高水平的语义机制。未来研究应更关注心理时间线的起源多样性、先天基础、神经机制以及时间线和数字线的类比。

The multidimensional spatial representation of time: Dissociations on its ontogenetic origin and activation mechanism

A growing body of evidence suggested that time can be represented separately either on the lateral, sagittal or vertical axis. However, how these mental time lines originate and be activated remains controversial. Recent evidence supports that the lateral mental time line mainly originates from sensorimotor experience associated with reading/writing habits, and the activation may be a low-level sensorimotor mechanism. In contrast, the sagittal/vertical mental time line mainly originates from spatial metaphor in language, and the activation may be a high-level semantic mechanism. The future study should focus more on the diversity of origins, the gene basis, the neural mechanism and the analogy between mental time lines and mental number lines.