This was my (K. McGrew's) keynote presentation at the Oct, 2006 Interactive Metronome conference in Austin, TX.

1. The Synchronized Metronome Tapping (SMT) Effect: Preliminary thoughts on “what’s happening under the hood” Kevin McGrew, Ph.D. Institute for Applied Psychometrics LLC (www.iapsych.com)

5. How can such an apparently simple intervention produce improvements across such diverse human performance domains?

8. A domain-general cognitive mechanism? A number of domain (subject)-specific cognitive mechanisms? OR….

12. Is there an accepted, empirically validated theory or model to explain mental time-keeping? Yes

14. Regularly generates or emits neural ticks or pulses “ gaiting” switch from pacemaker to accumular Accumulates ticks/pulses that correspond to duration (neural counting) The “clock” level

15. “ Raw” representation of stimulus duration transferred to short-term or working memory Includes “important times” or “standards” appropriate for task The “memory” level

16. Comparison made between contents of reference memory (the standard) and working memory (are they “close” ?). Relies on a comparator that determines a response on the basis of a decision rule which involves a comparison between a value in the accumulator or working memory corresponding to the current duration with a value from reference memory The “decision” level

18. g (general intelligence) Performance on temporal information processing as an index of general intelligence Rammsayer & Brandler (2006, in press)

24. What are the possible underlying brain structures or functions involved? A very simplified review

28. Prefrontal cortex The “brain manager” or “boss” (Hale & Fiorrello, 2004; Luria,1973)

33. Basal ganglia and frontal-striatal loop serve like conductor: Monitors resonance/oscillations of different brain structures and integrates them together

37. Executive functions/functioning (EF)

38. Executive functions/functioning are typically specified as a critical component of models of working memory

40. Controlled Executive Attention (domain-general mechanism) model of working memory (Kane, Engle, Conway model) Working memory as a multi-component system responsible for active maintenance of information in the face of ongoing processing and/or distraction Working memory capacity is not directly about memory—its about using attention to maintain or suppress information Greater working memory capacity does mean that more information can be maintained as active, but this is a result of greater ability to control attention , not a larger memory store “ There is a large and consistent body of research to indicate that the capability to control attention (especially in contexts in which there are competing demands) is a major determiner of an individual’s performance on complex working memory tasks (Engle, 2002; Kane, Bleckley, Conway, & Engle, 2001). [Note. g = working memory capacity is an active and popular research hypothesis in the field of intelligence]

46. Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Model of Human Cognitive Abilities Fluid Intelligence Crystallized Intelligence Gen. Memory & Learning Broad Visual Perception Broad Auditory Perception Broad Retrieval Ability Broad Cognitive Speediness Dec/Reaction Time/Speed Gf Gq Gsm Gv Ga Gs CDS Grw Gc Glr Fluid Intelligence Crystallized Intelligence Quantitative Knowledge Short-Term Memory Visual Processing Auditory Processing Long-Term Retrieval Processing Speed Correct Decision Speed Reading/ Writing g Cattell-Horn Carroll Gf Gy Gv Gs Gt Gc Gr Gu

47. The CHC Information Processing Model Gsm (MW) Information Processing Loop Cognitive Efficiency Gs Stores of Acquired Knowledge What are some other everyday examples of automatic cognitive processing (cognitive routines “automatized”)? Cognitive or Academic Performance Executive Control Gf Glr Ga Gv Thinking Abilities

48. The CHC Information Processing Model Gsm (MW) Information Processing Loop Cognitive Efficiency Gs Stores of Acquired Knowledge An example of “controlled cognitive processing” Cognitive or Academic Performance Executive Control Gf Glr Ga Gv Thinking Abilities

49. The CHC Information Processing Model Gsm (MW) Information Processing Loop Cognitive Efficiency Gs Stores of Acquired Knowledge Cognitive or Academic Performance Executive Control Gf Glr Ga Gv Thinking Abilities

51. The CHC Information Processing Model Gsm (MW) Information Processing Loop Cognitive Efficiency Gs Stores of Acquired Knowledge Cognitive or Academic Performance Executive Control Gf Glr Ga Gv Thinking Abilities SMT (e.g. IM) is hypothesized to increase the efficiency of the “information processing loop” – increased “cognitive efficiency” in the information processing bottleneck

52. Summary Comments

53. What’s going on “under the hood?”

56. What’s going on “under the hood?”