Memory Mechanisms and the Psychophysical Scaling of Duration

Two experiments were performed to examine the suggestion that underlying memory mechanisms may be revealed in the form of the psychophysical function for duration. In experiment 1 a broad range of durations, with fine spacing at the lower end, was employed to bring out any transition in function that might reflect a change from ‘iconic’ memory to short-term memory. Estimation in conventional time-units (Verbal Estimation) was also compared with unit-free estimation (Magnitude Estimation). In experiment 2 Verbal Estimation was compared with the Production method, for a different range of stimulus values, and with varying interval content. Contrary to earlier claims, memory mechanisms were not found to be reflected in the values of power exponents for subjective duration. The value of the search for such functions is questioned, as simple linear plots fit the data at least as well.

[1]  M. R. Jones,et al.  Time, our lost dimension: toward a new theory of perception, attention, and memory. , 1976, Psychological review.

[2]  H Eisler,et al.  Experiments on subjective duration 1968-1975: a collection of power function exponents. , 1976, Psychological bulletin.

[3]  S. S. Stevens.  On the psychophysical law. , 1957, Psychological review.

[4]  M. Cook,et al.  The Power Law as a Special Case of Fechner's Law , 1967, Perceptual and motor skills.

[5]  P. A. Vroon.  Divisibility and retention of psychological time. , 1970, Acta psychologica.

[6]  E. Poulton.  Schooling and the new psychophysics , 1981, Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

[7]  Michael T. Turvey,et al.  An auditory analogue of the sperling partial report procedure: Evidence for brief auditory storage , 1972 .

[8]  S. S. Stevens,et al.  Ratio scales and category scales for a dozen perceptual continua. , 1957, Journal of experimental psychology.

[9]  R. E. Hicks,et al.  Counting eliminates the repetition effect in judgments of temporal duration. , 1979, Acta psychologica.

[10]  Anne Treisman,et al.  Monitoring and storage of irrelevant messages in selective attention , 1964 .

[11]  R. E. Hicks,et al.  Concurrent processing demands and the experience of time-in-passing , 1977 .

[12]  L. Allan.  The perception of time , 1979 .

[13]  J. A. Michon,et al.  Time Experience and Memory Processes , 1975 .

[14]  Richard A. Block,et al.  Remembered duration: Effects of event and sequence complexity , 1978 .

[15]  W. A. Cooper,et al.  Differential sensitivity to duration of acoustic signals. , 1966, Journal of speech and hearing research.

[16]  H. Woodrow,et al.  The reproduction of temporal intervals. , 1930 .

[17]  Alfred B. Kristofferson,et al.  Psychophysical theories of duration discrimination , 1974 .

[18]  J. Michon,et al.  STUDIES ON SUBJECTIVE DURATION. I. DIFFERENTIAL SENSITIVITY IN THE PERCEPTION OF REPEATED TEMPORAL INTERVALS. , 1964, Acta psychologica.

[19]  George Sperling,et al.  The information available in brief visual presentations. , 1960 .

[20]  J. Michon.  Magnitude scaling of short durations with closely spaced stimuli , 1967 .

[21]  A. Small,et al.  Temporal differential sensitivity for auditory stimuli. , 1962, American Journal of Psychology.

[22]  W. Richards,et al.  Time reproductions by H.M. , 1973, Acta psychologica.

[23]  M. Treisman.  Temporal discrimination and the indifference interval. Implications for a model of the "internal clock". , 1963, Psychological monographs.