Dear UTSG listmember,
There is a consensus within transport planning that the links between subjective and objective time are not well understood (see Noland RB et al (2002) p52, Bates J et al (2001) p194, Yen JR et al (2001) p18 and O'Neil et al (1998) p131).
Subjective time has been more extensively researched within cognitive psychology, a major result of which is Vierordt's (1868) law.
Vierordt's law states that 'short' intervals of time tend to be overestimated, and 'long' ones underestimated (Yarmey. A.D. 2000). It has been described as "a robust phenomenon in time estimation research that has been observed with different stimuli and time estimation methods" Fortin. C. et al (1998) p272. It has not been cited in the transport literature (as far as I am aware), and its role as an influence on the subjective value of travel time savings (SVTTS) does not appear, therefore, to have been explored.
Personally I can think of no good reason why SVTTS should not be conceived of as a 'stimulus' (or as the result of a stimulus with temporal patternning). If so, SVTTS would be subject to the type of variation described by Vierordt, but this hypothesis has never been advanced before, except perhaps (controversially) as the general claim that the unit value of time varies with time.
The significance of Vierordt's temporal distortions appear either not to be accepted, their existence remains unknown, or they are negated by measuring elapsed time in units of objective time (rather than subjective time, or a composite of both). While the latter two explanations are plausible, the substantive issue is not whether Vierordt's distortions exist, the substantive question is: "Does the same pattern exist for SVTTS?"
People may not be aware that they possess these distortions, but we know they have them, so why not value them accordingly?
Are UTSG listmembers aware of any research which proves that behavioural values of time should be insulated from distortions in perceived duration?
Michael Nandris
BSc(hons) Biochemistry
MSc Transport Planning
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