Effect of Covert Alterations of Clock Rate upon Time Estimations and Personal Tempo

Abstract

A theoretical approach to the behavioral process of time judgment is presented which stresses the learning of the conventional clock rate. The process of time judgment is seen as having three components: (1) the criterion, the temporal units and rhythm of the ordinary clock, (2) the rate of sensory input, which has many determinants, both intra- and extra-organismic, and which is subject to constant fluctuation, and (3) the rate of the input modulator, which accommodates with the fluctuation of sensory input rates to provide a categorization of input in rhythmical equivalence to the criterion rate of the ordinary clock. General veridicality of time judgment has two prerequisites: (1) practice of clock estimation under a wide range of input conditions to provide a large inventory of sensory input-input modulator (SI-IM) relationships and (2) an accurate assessment of current input conditions. Manipulation of the functioning of the three components of time judgment suggests methods of disrupting the smoothly functioning, implicit categorizing process involved and thus providing greater systematic understanding of it. Several such possibilities are indicated. The present study investigated the effects of covert alterations of clock rate upon time judgment and personal tempo. We found that over a series of corrected time judgments in which the method of verbal estimation was used and in which the clock rate was covertly altered, the time judgments shifted in the direction of the new clock rate, both when the clock rate was increased relative to ordinary clock rate and when it was decreased. In addition, it was found that covert alteration of clock rate has a differential effect upon two measures of personal tempo. When the altered clock rate was faster than ordinary clock rate, the rate of tempo was relatively greater than when the altered clock rate was less than ordinary clock rate. Self-reports of Ss indicated a wide range of awareness of the alteration in clock rate and of correct understanding of the experimental situation. Further uses of the methodology of alterations in clock rate in conjunction with the psychophysical method of adjustment were suggested for investigations of the subjective passage of time.