The effect of the time interval upon the time-error at different intensive levels.

Abstract

The main experiment involved comparison judgments of pairs of stimuli of varying intensive level with the inclusion of a variation of the time interval separating the members of the stimulus-pairs. The stimuli were auditory intensities. An analysis of the results shows that there is a relative over-estimation of the louder stimuli and a relative under-estimation of the weaker stimuli, and that with a longer interval between the comparison stimuli the differences in relative estimation errors are magnified. In a supplementary experiment comparable effects appeared within the limits of the method of paired comparisons, employed in its complete form. It is suggested that a concept of reorganization is a consistent basis for discussion in the explanation of changes in judgments with a variation of the time interval. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)