An experimental investigation of the possible role of heredity in the estimation of time

• Main Author: Grant, Edward
• Published: University of Leicester 1967
• Subjects: 150
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.673927

Any form of timing involves a rhythmic process as interval timer. It is useful to postulate a 'physiological clock' in the explanation of time estimation behaviour, provided that environmental factors are not forgotten, that the 'clock' is conceptualized in functional rather than anatomical terms, and that it is stressed that there may be many such 'clocks' within the organism, divided both in terms of physiological and behavioural system, and in terms of range of durations measured. Some such 'clock' must underlie the estimation by human beings of intervals ranging up to about 60 seconds, and wherever this 'clock' may be located one may expect it to be subject to the same effects of inheritance as other biological mechanisms. This hypothesis was investigated using the intra-pair comparison of MZ and DZ same-sex co-twins of above average intelligence, and intervals ranging from 3 to 5 seconds presented under a variety of modal and methodological conditions. No significant inter-zygosity difference in time estimation was found for pre-pubertal subjects. With post-pubertal twins (totalling 56 pairs) considerable evidence was found with reproduction and overwhelming evidence with opevative estimation that the intra-pair similarity for short interval time judgment is significantly greater for MZ co-twins than for same-sex DZ co-twins. It was also discovered that the MZ twins were somewhat more aoourate in their estimations. Sex difference does not appear to be of any significance in the judgment of duration. With verbal estimation of times ranging from 28 to 60 minutes, the intrapair similarity in judgment is considerably greater for MZ than for DZ cotwins, but with no inter-zygosity differences in accuracy. It is suggested that more attention should be paid to the method of retrieval of timing information.