Cross-frequency coupling explains the preference for simple ratios in rhythmic behaviour and the relative stability across non-synchronous patterns

Authors

Dobromir Dotov, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Laurel Trainor, McMaster University, Hamilton

Author ORCID Identifier

Dotov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5543-360X

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-23-2021

Abstract

Rhythms are important for understanding coordinated behaviours in ecological systems. The repetitive nature of rhythms affords prediction, planning of movements and coordination of processes within and between individuals. A major challenge is to understand complex forms of coordination when they differ from complete synchronization. By expressing phase as ratio of a cycle, we adapted levels of the Farey tree as a metric of complexity mapped to the range between in-phase and anti-phase synchronization. In a bimanual tapping task, this revealed an increase of variability with ratio complexity, a range of hidden and unstable yet measurable modes, and a rank-frequency scaling law across these modes. We use the phase-attractive circle map to propose an interpretation of these findings in terms of hierarchical cross-frequency coupling (CFC). We also consider the tendency for small-integer attractors in the single-hand repeated tapping of three-interval rhythms reported in the literature. The phase-attractive circle map has wider basins of attractions for such ratios. This work motivates the question whether CFC intrinsic to neural dynamics implements low-level priors for timing and coordination and thus becomes involved in phenomena as diverse as attractor states in bimanual coordination and the cross-cultural tendency for musical rhythms to have simple interval ratios.

Comments

This is the accepted manuscript of an article published in The Royal Society's Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences on August 23, 2021. The final published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0333

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0333

Journal Title

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Volume

376

Recommended Citation

Dotov D & Trainor L (2021). Cross-frequency coupling explains the preference for simple ratios in rhythmic behaviour and the relative stability across non-synchronous patterns. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological sceinces, 376(1835). doi:10.1098/rstb.2020.0333 https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0333

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.