Some Aspects of Temporal Discrimination

Abstract

Various aspects of the problem of temporal discrimination are discussed, with emphasis placed on the fact that the degree of discrimination indicated by any given study is dependent upon the perceptual task facing Ss. It is shown that the results of many inter-modality comparisons are misleading because of phenomena occurring at the onset of stimulation. A study comparing the temporal discrimination shown by the visual and auditory senses is reported, this study having been designed in an attempt to avoid the phenomena accompanying stimulus onset. One general conclusion drawn is that the auditory system is not so much superior to the visual system in regard to temporal discrimination power as is commonly believed.