Asymmetry of the discrimination function for temporal durations in human subjects.
Ten human subjects were comparing durations of pairs of visual stimuli in a two-way forced-choice task. Mean durations of presented time intervals were -3 s ("short") or -6 s ("long"); the duration ratio was varied at nine levels. The Weber fractions for the short and long durations were approximately equal, -0.22. The ratio of subjective equality was almost exactly unity for the short durations, but it was significantly reduced (-0.76) for the long durations. This asymmetry of the discrimination function indicates time-dependent change of internal representations of past durations, and is well compatible with the "dual klepsydra model". Model-based estimates of the internal time representation loss rate, derived from the present data, are in a good agreement with values obtained from earlier studies on duration reproduction.
Wackermann
Jirí
J
Department of Empirical and Analytical Psychophysics, Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg i.Br., Germany. jw@igpp.de.
Späti
Jakub
J
D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014894:Weights and Measures