The estimation of time as a function of positive, neutral, or negative expectancies

Edmonds, Ed M.; Cahoon, D. D.; Bridges, Bruce

doi:10.3758/bf03333733

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…When subjects are asked to signal when a beaker of water begins to boil, this time period is significantly overestimated relative to a comparable interval in which no such expectancy is induced (Block, George, & Reed, 1980;Cahoon & Edmonds, 1980). Similar sets of findings have been reported by others who have used a variety of techniques to induce conditions of expectant waiting (e.g., Edmonds, Cahoon, & Bridges, 1981;Filer & Meals, 1949;Hare, 1963;Schiff & Thayer, 1968).…”

supporting

confidence: 66%

Time estimation and expectancies

Boltz

1993

Mem Cogn

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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.In everyday behavior, there are many situations in which we judge the duration of a given event or how much time was spent performing a particular activity. A primary goal of time estimation research is to determine the factors that result in the relative accuracy of these estimates and/or systematic distortions wherein the relevant time span is either under-or overestimated. Some of these factors are assumed to involve certain constitutional states within an individual (e.g., stress and arousal, aging, drugs), whereas others are assumed to arise from the environmental context itself (e.g., the complexity or familarity of an event, task demands). One variable, however, that has received relatively little empirical attention involves the expected ending time of the event or activity to be judged. That is, the various events and activities that fill our daily lives are typically demarcated from one another by a nonarbitrary beginning and ending point. And we often can anticipate when in time these events and activities will end, so that we can move on to something new. These types of temporal expectancies can stem from multiple sources. One is based on prior experience and knowing the temporal sequence of activities that comprise a given behavioral script. For example, most of us know that the ending of the "restaurant script" involves paying the bill and walking out the door. A second source derives from a consensual agreement about how much time or activity will be spent performing a given behavior before its end. For example, a car mechanic may tell us that we will have to wait 45 min before he or she is finished with the repairs, and a basketball coach may tell

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supporting

confidence: 66%

Time estimation and expectancies

Boltz

1993

Mem Cogn

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“…In several time estimation experiments, valence manipulation was performed in waiting conditions (Curton & Lordahl, 1974;Edmonds, Cahoon, & Bridges, 1981;Hare, 1963;Schiff & Thayer, 1968). Block, George, and TIME PERCEPTION AND EMOTIONS 973 Reed (1980) showed that waiting condition per se affects time judgments.…”

Section: Arousal and Valence Effects Several Studies Havementioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of affective factors on time perception

Angrilli

Cherubini

Pavese

et al. 1997

Perception & Psychophysics

404

391

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Several studies have suggested that both affective valence and arousal affect the perception of time. However, in previous experiments, the two affective dimensions have not been systematically controlled. In this study, standardized photographic slides rated for emotional valence and arousal were projected to two groups of subjects for 2, 4, and 6 sec. One group of subjects estimated the projection duration on an analog scale, whereas the second group of subjects reproduced the intervals by pushing a button. Heart rate and skin conductance responses were also recorded during stimulus presentation as indices of attention and arousal. Time estimation results showed neither a main effect of valence nor a main effect of arousal. A highly significant valence X arousal interaction affected duration judgments. For low-arousal stimuli, the duration of negative slides was judged relatively shorter than the duration of positive slides. For high-arousal stimuli, the duration of negative slides was judged longer than the duration of positive slides. The same interaction pattern was observed across judgment modalities. These results are interpreted in terms of a model of action tendency, in which the level of arousal controls two different motivational mechanisms, one emotional and the other attentional.In everyday life, human beings are continually engaged in emotionally driven behaviors. Such behaviors are so highly pervasive that the recent psychological literature has pointed out the centrality ofemotional factors in cognitive processes such as learning a second language (Schumann, 1990(Schumann, , 1994. Damasio (1994) has recently documented a remarkable body of neuropsychological evidence supporting the assumption that emotions are involved in most, if not all, cognitive processes.Although an increasing number of studies have investigated the role of emotions in cognitive activity, only a limited number of studies have analyzed the relationship between emotional states and estimation of time durations. Furthermore, these studies have typically yielded inconclusive results regarding the precise nature of the relationship between emotions and time perception. These inconsistent findings may originate from the use of nonstandardized emotional manipulations that make the quantification and replication of the results rather problematic.A leading theoretical approach in the current literature involves the dimensional analysis of emotions. Dimensional theories of emotion differ from basic emotions theories (Argyle, 1975;Chance, 1980;Plutchik, 1962) in that they do not classify emotions on the basis ofthe presence or absence of independent and specific emotional states (e.g., fear, anger, or joy). Instead, they assume that emotions can be represented in a multidimensional space We wish to thank G. B. Vicario, P. 1. Lang, L. Stegagno, D. Palomba, P. Bressan, R. Mucha, and L. Krueger (associate editor), and the referees for their helpful suggestions and comments. Correspondence should be addressed to Alessandro Angrilli, Antone...

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“…These kinds of experiments found for instance shorter time estimates for subjects in fear of a coming danger than for subjects in neutral condition (Langer et al 1961). Inversely, Edmonds et al (1981) show that subjects who are expecting a pleasant experience overestimate the actual time interval (time passes relatively slowly for them). Fraisse (1984) argues that the expectation of an agreeable event 'leads to paying more attention to the passing of time ' (p. 24).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is this experiment that is indeed the one that economists are generally most interested in, because it resembles the typical situation of an economic agent who discounts future events. 4 However, fewer experiments have been conducted that manipulate the emotional valence in waiting conditions (Langer et al 1961;Curton & Lordahl 1974;Edmonds et al 1981). The problem with waiting time conditions is that subjects are not engaging in any task and one cannot determine if and what people are thinking while they are waiting.…”

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confidence: 99%

Changing time and emotions

Geoffard

Luchini

2010

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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In this paper, we consider that our experience of time (to come) depends on the emotions we feel when we imagine future pleasant or unpleasant events. A positive emotion such as relief or joy associated with a pleasant event that will happen in the future induces impatience. Impatience, in our context, implies that the experience of time up to the forthcoming event expands. A negative emotion such as grief or frustration associated with an unpleasant event that will happen in the future triggers anxiety. This will give the experience of time contraction. Time, therefore, is not exogeneously given to the individual and emotions, which link together events or situations, are a constitutive ingredient of the experience of time. Our theory can explain experimental evidence that people tend to prefer to perform painful actions earlier than pleasurable ones, contrary to the predictions yielded by the standard exponential discounting framework.

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The estimation of time as a function of positive, neutral, or negative expectancies

Cited by 23 publications

References 2 publications

Time estimation and expectancies

Time estimation and expectancies

The influence of affective factors on time perception

Changing time and emotions

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