Learning about time: Knowledge of formal timing symbols is related to individual differences in temporal precision.

Abstract

Throughout the life span, we are capable of representing quantities in the absence of language, or nonsymbolically. Additionally, over the course of development, we learn many symbolic measurement systems for representing quantities such as time and number. Despite substantial evidence of a relation between the acquisition of symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical acuity (see Halberda, Mazzocco, & Feigenson, 2008), no work has explored whether a similar relation exists between understanding temporal units of measurement and timing precision. That is, does a child's understanding of words like "second," "minute," and "hour" have any relation to their ability to tell which of two events lasted longer? Six- and 7-year-old children (n = 102, Mage = 83.44 months, 52 females), who are in the process of learning temporal units of measurement, completed a temporal discrimination task (assessing nonsymbolic temporal acuity) and a symbolic timing assessment. Results revealed a positive correlation between children's nonsymbolic temporal acuity and their understanding of temporal units of measurement. Importantly, this correlation held when controlling for age and numerical acuity, suggesting a unique relation between children's temporal acuity and their understanding of temporal units of measurement. This study is the first to show a relation between symbolic and nonsymbolic representations of time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).