TABLE 8

DISTRIBUTION OF FEMALE JUDGMENTS IN 10" CLASSES

Classes18˝36˝72˝108˝
IERWIERWIERWIERWC
1 – 1072208813356533201601020
11 – 201141191099433294083751525227100
21 – 30508754297057737416132552413270
31 – 40171710651875330242124302111140
41 – 50101474403539203518373214617342
51 – 60210314330401448444753301835365
61 – 7013031175228502021811232218
71 – 80321258210293223141421201457
81 – 9000119362272928144135351967
91 – 100020 142116111552535171150
101 – 1100 0 011147609247625
111 – 1200 0 236317201085238331619
121 – 1302 0 010 34334156813
131 – 140 0 110 121469665
141 – 150 0 101 544215131671
151 – 160 1 100 042037222
161 – 170 000 11003201
171 – 180 100 747422141622
181 – 190 00 10102230
191 – 200 00 11303566
201 – 210 10 00001010
211 – 220 0 01001200
221 – 230 0 01001062
231 – 240 0 21013324
241 – 250 0 10 0300
251 – 260 0 0 2001
261 – 270 0 0 1000
271 – 280 0 0 0000
281 – 290 0 0 0000
291 – 300 1 2 4211
301 – 310 0000
311 – 320 1000
321 – 330 0000
331 – 340 1001
341 – 350 00
351 – 360 11
361 – 370 0
371 – 380 0
381 – 390 0
391 – 400 2
Totals 271 274 274 273 274 273 274 273 274 274 274 274 274 273 274 272 264

Tables 7 and 8 show that the range of the judgments increases with the length of the interval judged, and that the modal class is always much nearer the lower than the upper limit. Asymmetry is characteristic of the distribution of organic data, and in certain instances, as for example writing 18 seconds, males, the choice of a 10-second class interval results in extreme asymmetry, and one is reminded of the tables which Fechner gave as examples of his logarithmic method in statistics.[130]

It is not to be expected that a method of grouping should be found which will give regularity of distribution throughout, but it is important that there should be regularity about the mode. In the table of distribution for the males (Table 7) all the intervals from idleness 18 seconds to reading 72 seconds are regular.[131] The remaining intervals, with the exception of estimating 108 seconds, are irregular.

Trial proves that for these intervals increase of the size of the class to 30 seconds is sufficient to give regular distributions, as is obvious from Table 9. Grouping by 30-second classes gives regularity for most of the female judgments, but for idleness 108 seconds and writing 108 seconds there are still slight irregularities, as Table 10 indicates.

Tables 7 and 8 show that the distribution is far less regular for the females than for the males. The fact that it becomes regular when the class interval is increased to 30 seconds suggests that the irregularities of distribution which appear in the tables are due to those influences which favor simple fractions of a minute and not to the small number of judgments.

Having now noted certain important characteristics of the time-estimation judgments and the nature of their distribution, we may examine the arithmetical means and other statistical quantities which have been determined for our data. Those quantities which have been determined for the several ages, intervals, and fillings as well as for the sexes are: (1) The Mean (M. in tables), (2) the average variability (M. V.), (3) the positive variability (+ V.), (4) the number of judgments with positive variation (No. + V.), (5) the negative variability (– V.), (6) the number of judgments with negative variation (No. – V.), (7) the relative variability (R. V.) = M + VM × 100.

Since the sums of the positive and the negative variations are equal, it is possible to make certain of the accuracy of the means and average variabilities by comparison of the + V. and – V. As this was done in all cases we feel confident of the reliability of the statistical quantities presented in the tables.

In Table 11 have been arranged the various quantities as determined for the males and females for each interval. The values given in this table are averages of the determinations made for the several ages separately.