Psychological and Neuroscientific Foundations of Rhythms and Timing

Abstract

Abstract Cultural artefacts, such as dance and music, are characterized by temporal properties, broadly referred to as rhythms. The temporal structures that emerge when individuals synchronize their movements provide a sense of togetherness and common fate, even if individuals can readily tune in and out of this shared temporal space. This chapter discusses the endogenous and exogenous factors contributing to the emergence of brain rhythms and rhythmic behaviours, and how their interplay contributes to sophisticated forms of expressions in humans. The capacity for coupling and uncoupling voluntarily from external rhythms creates a potential tension between one’s environment (exogenously driven) and one’s internal state (endogenously driven) that can be exploited for artistic benefit, in the form of surprisal.