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Time estimation and expectancies.

M G Boltz
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Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of different types of expectancies on time estimation behavior. In Experiment 1, subjects were led to expect that a given number of trials would occur in a music perception task. In Experiment 2, expectancies concerning the duration of a given waiting period were varied. Results of both experiments indicated that the confirmation/violation of expectancies exerted a significant impact on duration judgments. When subjects received more/fewer trials than expected or waited for a duration that was longer/shorter than expected, the total duration of these time spans was over- and underestimated, respectively. Conversely, time estimates were relatively accurate when subjects' expectancies were confirmed. The results of Experiment 1 further revealed that reaction time responses within the music perception task were also systematically influenced by the expected amount of activity. Results are discussed in terms of a framework that emphasizes the role of anticipatory attending on time estimation behavior.

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Acoustic StimulationAdolescentAdultAuditory PerceptionFemaleHumansMaleMusicPitch PerceptionTime PerceptionJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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M G Boltz. 1993. Time estimation and expectancies.. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03202753

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