Time delay in estimation of angles.

Abstract

The hypotheses were that a 2-min. delay as opposed to a 2-sec. delay between observation and mechanical estimation to an acute angle will increase the likelihood of overestimation of that angle and that minimal-surround cue-conditions would produce greater overestimation than maximal cue-conditions. 40 subjects estimated a 54 degrees acute angle presented behind a 2-way mirror in one of the four treatment combinations in a 2 X 2 factorial design. A 2-min. time delay caused significantly larger estimates of the angle. Overestimation in the maximal cue-condition was significant but the underestimate in the minimal cue-conditions was not. Cue-conditions were not significantly different from one another.