A Systematic Replication of Variations in Verbal Content and Delay on Time Estimation and Short-Term Memory

Abstract

Vitulli and Nemeth reported in 2001 that among 218 undergraduate volunteers delay of estimation produced significantly longer judgments of time regardless of the verbal passage while short-term memory scores varied as a function of verbal content. In this systematic replication 112 volunteers used three paragraphs audiotaped from a 1998 textbook in general psychology by Baron as stimuli presented for judgment of the passage of time and for short-term memory tests. Addition of control conditions using as stimuli nonsense syllables equal in duration to the three paragraphs did not have an effect contrary to past studies. Yet post hoc tests with nonsense-syllable data removed showed significance between immediate and delayed time estimations consistent with past studies, suggesting boundary conditions for this historically robust effect. Length of segment resulted in significantly different estimations of time as expected. An interaction of short-term memory scores between delay of estimation and content of verbal material showed short-term memory scores were significant between paragraphs and for delay of test (immediate versus delayed).