A test of multiple correlation temporal window characteristic of non-Markov processes

We introduce a sensitive test of memory effects in successive events. The test consists of a combination K of binary correlations at successive times. K decays monotonically from K = 1 for uncorrelated events as a Markov process; whereas memory effects provide a temporal window with K > 1. For a monotonic memory fading, K < 1 always. Here we report evidence of a K > 1 temporal window in cognitive tasks consisting of the visual identification of the front face of the Necker cube after a previous presentation of the same. The K > 1 behaviour is maximal at an inter-measurement time τ around 2 sec with inter-subject differences. The K > 1 persists over a time window of 1 sec around τ ; outside this window the K < 1 behaviour is recovered. The universal occurrence of a K > 1 window in pairs of successive perceptions suggests that, at variance with single visual stimuli eliciting a suitable response, a pair of stimuli shortly separated in time displays mutual correlations. ∗ [email protected]; Dipartimento di Fisica Università di Firenze † [email protected] ‡ [email protected] 1 ar X iv :1 50 4. 07 08 9v 1 [ qbi o. N C ] 2 7 A pr 2 01 5