On the perceived time of voluntary actions.

When do we think we move when we make a voluntary action? Previous studies have pointed to an anticipatory awareness of action (i.e. we think we move before we actually do), but have not investigated the content or locus of motor awareness. In the experiment reported here the authors localize the time of awareness of the first movement in a sequence within the context of a specific information-processing model. The results suggest that our awareness of our own actions is associated with some pre-motor event after the initial intention and preparation of action, but before the assembly and dispatch of the actual motor command to the muscles.