Emergent motor timing enhances time perception

Precise timing underlies many behaviors, from musical performance to navigating a dynamic environment. This study examined how stable temporal patterns that emerge during goal-directed movements influence timing acuity in perceptual discrimination. Rather than relying on explicitly timed actions, we used a self-paced throwing task in which temporal structure develops implicitly with practice. Across three experiments, participants were trained for four days, developing stable motor timing reflected in consistent "ball release times." This emergent timing selectively enhanced sensitivity to matching temporal intervals in a perceptual discrimination task. Importantly, this effect was not explained by perceptual learning and persisted over several weeks, suggesting a durable motor-perceptual linkage. The results point to a shared representation of time in action and perception, an emergent timing primitive that arises through experience in spatiotemporal movements. These findings shed light on how motor learning can shape temporal perception in ecologically relevant contexts, with implications for rehabilitation and sensorimotor integration.