Stephen Thayer

Eye-Contact, Facial Expression, and the Experience of Time

Summary The relationship between interpersonal processes and the experience of time was examined in the context of qualitatively different social interactions. Time spent in unpleasant as opposed to pleasant encounters is often experienced as passing slowly or “dragging.” Positive or negative facial expressions were combined with shorter (12 seconds) or longer (36 seconds) periods of eye-contact between female subjects and same or opposite-sex confederates. Subjects also served as their own controls by estimating 12-and 36-second nonsocial intervals. Reproduction of time periods during which eye-contact was maintained indicated that time was experienced as passing more slowly (greater overestimation relative to clock time) when combined with a negative-unpleasant (scowling-angry) rather than a positive-pleasant (smiling-friendly) facial expression. This effect was most pronounced for female-female encounters.

History and strategies of research on social touch

The history of research on social touch is discussed along with comparisons of different research strategies and techniques. Suggestions for future research are proposed.

Cognitive and affective factors in temporal experience: Anticipated or experienced pleasant and unpleasant sensory events.

120 Ss reproduced and verbally estimated short (48 sec.) or long (144 sec.) durations under conditions of smelling or anticipating smelling a pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral substance. They were initially unaware the study would involve judgments of time. The two durations yielded significant differences. Anticipation conditions were generally judged longer than conditions where Ss actually smelled the substances. No significant differences were found among the Pleasant, Unpleasant, and Neutral conditions, although Ss tended to underestimate the Neutral condition relative to the others. Absolute accuracy of the judgments among the conditions was significant for duration only, with the longer duration providing the larger errors. A moderate correlation (.50) was found between verbal estimation and reproduction measures. Results were discussed in relation to relevant literature on time judgment.

Linear representation of temporal location and Stevens’s law

Ss were asked to indicate points 1 week, 7 months, 3 years, and 9 years in the past and future on two time lines representing birth to present and present to death. Data for 90 college-age Ss fit a psychophysical power function following Stevens’s law. with negatively accelerated growth indicating proportionately greater linear representation of periods nearer to the present. Variability was greater for the representations of the future than of the past, with monotonic increases in variability as distance from the present increased.

Cognitive and Affective Factors in Temporal Experience: Judgments of Intrinsically and Extrinsically Motivated Successful and Unsuccessful Performances

Time judgments were examined using Verbal Estimate and Reproduction measures to determine whether the qualitative nature of an arousal state (success vs failure) or arousal per se (task vs control condition) influence estimates. Motivational orientation in the form of Intrinsic vs Extrinsic task satisfaction was also varied. Only the differences between measures and between task and control Reproductions were significant. Results offered no support for either general or qualitative arousal hypotheses, but attentional or “filled-unfilled interval” hypotheses could account for the findings. A measurement dilemma inherent in present time research methods was discussed.

A Comparison of Three Measures of Nonverbal Decoding Ability

Summary Sixty male and female undergraduates and mental health professionals were tested to examine the relationship between three measures of the ability to decode nonverbal communications: the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity (PONS), Beiers Test, and the Affective Sensitivity Scale (AFSS). Results showed no significant relationship between the three tests, implying that these different measures of nonverbal decoding ability may actually be measuring different, unrelated skills. Differences between the three measures are described as contributing to the lack of significant correlations.

The Relationship Between Locus of Control and Temporal Experience.

As locus of control involves generalized expectancies regarding the determination of events, it should relate to temporal attitudes and experiences. Correlational data from 89 subjects on the Rotter-Mirels Locus of Control and Ricks-Epley-Wessman Temporal Experience Questionnaire scales supported the hypothesis that the reported time experiences and orientations of external control subjects would be significantly more harassed and pressured, ciscontinuous and undirected, procrastinating and inefficient, and inconsistent and changeable than those of internal control subjects. Discussion forcuses on the self-defeating cycle of disorganization and victimization experienced by individuals with an external locus of control.