Immediate versus Remote Judgements: Delay of Response and Rate of Stimulus Presentation in Time Estimation

Abstract

A systematic replication of Vitulli and Shepard's 1996 study showed that a change in response requirements (verbal estimation) from circling time intervals on a scoring sheet in the older study to writing subjective time estimates in the present study did not alter the robust effects of a delay in retrospective judgement. A complete 2×2×2 factorial analysis of variance showed main effects for rate (fast versus slow) of stimulus (random digits, 1–5) presentation and delay of estimate (immediate versus remote), yet there were no interactions among rate, delay, or sex. The interpolation of “filler tasks” between the end of the target interval and subjective estimate of the duration of the target interval significantly increased perceived time compared to estimates made immediately after the target interval.