Elsevier

Consciousness and Cognition

Volume 38, 15 December 2015, Pages 191-197
Consciousness and Cognition

Psychophysics and the anisotropy of time

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2015.06.007Get rights and content

Highlights

  • I summarize and discuss anisotropy-related constraints in time perception studies.

  • Psychophysical methods are differentially affected by time anisotropy.

  • Anisotropy-related differences can potentially reconcile contradictive findings.

  • Arguments for a perspective change in time perception research are raised.

Abstract

In psychophysics, experimental control over the presented stimuli is an important prerequisite. Due to the anisotropy of time, this prerequisite is not given in psychophysical experiments on time perception. Many important factors (e.g., the direction of perceived time flow) cannot be manipulated in timing experiments. The anisotropy of time is a peculiarity, which distinguishes the time dimension from other perceptual qualities.

Here I summarize the anisotropy-related differences between the perception of time and the perception of other qualities. It is discussed to what extent these differences might affect results and interpretations in psychophysical experiments. In conclusion, I argue for a ‘view from nowhen’ on the psychophysical study of time perception.

Section snippets

Introduction: The psychophysical study of time

Since the seminal work by Fechner (1860), psychophysics have proven to be an important methodology for the description and the understanding of time perception (Eisler, Eisler, & Hellström, 2008). Due to the application of psychophysical methods, a wealth of useful experimental tasks and paradigms have been developed to investigate the perception of time in animals and humans (Block and Grondin, 2014, Fraisse, 1984). Temporal bisection tasks have been used to study the impact of emotions on the

The anisotropy of time

For almost all physical qualities, the premise of experimental control over physical stimuli is valid, and therefore psychophysical studies have provided important insights into how humans perceive loudness, color, size, temperature, etc. However, when it comes to time, there is an essential difference between the physical and the psychological reality. Physical laws are time-reversal invariant, i.e., they do not imply a specific direction of time (Maccone, 2009, Reichenbach, 1956). They retain

Constraints in time perception experiments

The anisotropy of time has important consequences regarding the investigation of the relation between physical and psychological time. Many psychophysical methods are based on the implicit assumption that the researcher possesses absolute control over the presentation of physical stimuli in experiments. This presupposition is true for many physical qualities. We can deliberately manipulate the loudness of a sound or the size of a visually presented square. Furthermore, we are able to present

What is a duration?

In the previous sections, temporal intervals were dealt with as if they were independent physical stimuli, which can be presented in psychophysical experiments. On closer inspection, this view is not valid, and it might be objected that some of the raised concerns can be attributed to this simplifying but illegitimate approach. Factually, it is not appropriate to examine durations as if they were discrete physical stimuli. They should rather be considered as (temporal) properties of other

Conclusion: A view from nowhen

The aim of the present paper was to allude to some basic differences between the perception of time and the perception of other physical dimensions, which are caused by the anisotropy of time. Some of these differences have the potential to affect the results in timing experiments, especially in psychophysical studies designed to compare the experience of time and the experience of other qualities (e.g., Casasanto and Boroditsky, 2008, Riemer et al., 2014). The application of psychophysical

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