Effect of Variable Stimulus Intensity on Estimates of Duration

Abstract

Judgments of the duration of tones increasing or decreasing in intensity over a range of 22 db were compared with judgments of the duration of tones of constant intensity for stimulus durations of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 sec. The duration of tones of varying intensity was significantly underestimated relative to the constant tone at the shorter stimulus lengths. The effect was only observed for tones of increasing intensity at stimulus durations of 8 sec. and not at all at stimulus durations of 12 sec. A general inverse relationship between rate of stimulus change and estimated duration is suggested for stimulus changes above a critical rate.