Time Perception Bias Test
Background
The Time Perception Bias Test (TPBT) is a computerized measure of unconscious bias that leverages a well-known time estimation bias: people overestimate the duration of events that heighten their arousal ('time slows down'). The task was developed by Gordon Moskowitz and colleagues in 2015 to investigate racially induced time perception distortions.
The basic task performed in the TPBT is a temporal discrimintation task: judging the duration of one type of stimuli against a baseline. For example, Moskowitz and colleagues asked participants to judge the duration of faces of Black and White men (presentation range: 300ms to 1200ms) relative to neutral comparison stimuli (e.g. geometric shapes) presented for 600ms. They found that particularly participants who were concerned to appear racially bias overestimated the duration of the short durations of the Black faces. Ironically, the goal of appearing -or being- nonprejudiced, seemed to have undercut that very goal as evidenced by the biased response time measures. This likely happened because the greater one's concern with appearing biased, the more stressful and arousing social situations with members of stereotyped groups become (Gordon et al, 2015). The authors argue that such racial induced 'time slowing' is a particularly insidious bias because it's an unintended, low level perceptual bias that could potentially negatively influence social interactions, such as shortening doctor's visits or interviews, even with, or because of, the very best intentions.
The Millisecond TPBT assesses people's bias towards the two target categories spiders and dogs (under the assumption that they cause anxiety and emotional arousal) compared to the control category 'shoes' but can easily be edited to run images of other categories, such as the one used by Moskowitz et al (2015).
Task Procedure
After 5 practice trials that use various images unrelated to the test categories, participants work on four blocks of 63 trials each (21 control trials presenting shoes - control category, 21 trials presenting spiders, 21 trials presenting dogs). The order of the shapes is selected randomly. Each trial presents first a geometric shape for 600ms before presenting the target (spider, dog or shoe). The target shape is either presented for a shorter duration than the geometric shape (300,380,480ms), at the same duration (600ms) or for a longer duration (760,960,1200ms). Participants have to decide via keystroke whether the target duration is shorter (press 'S') or longer (press 'L') than the geometric shape. A blank screen is presented for 1000ms at trial conclusion.
What it Measures
The Time Perception Bias Test (TPBT) is a test of unconscious bias.
Psychological domains
- Implicit Cognition: Cognitive Processes not under conscious control
- Social Cognition: People's thoughts and perceptions of themselves and others in the social world
Main Performance Metrics
- Difference in Proportion 'Longer Judgements' of Target Categories vs. Control Category: Positive Difference indicates that overall participants judged target category to last longer; rough Measure of Bias towards Target Category
Psychiatric Conditions
The specific Time Perception Bias Test (developed by Moskowitz et al.) is a social psychology assessment tool and has not been tested on medical patient groups.
An implicit measure of bias developed by Moskowitz et al (2015) that uses the effects of arousal on time perception as an indirect measure of racism.
References
Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Time Perception Bias Test.
Gordon B. Moskowitz, G.B., Olcaysoy Okten, I. & Gooch, C.M. (2015). On Race and Time. Psychological Science, 26, 1783-1794.