Sex differences in duration judgments: a meta-analytic review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Human Behavior

Background:

• Human sex differences in cognitive tasks are widely studied.
• Accurate time perception and duration judgments are crucial cognitive functions.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding sex differences in time perception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively review human sex differences in the magnitude and variability of duration judgments.
• To investigate factors moderating these sex differences, such as prospective versus retrospective judgment paradigms.
• To explore potential underlying cognitive mechanisms, including attention and memory.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative review of existing studies involving duration judgments.
• Inclusion of data from 4,794 females and 4,688 males, yielding 87 effect size estimates for magnitude and 28 for variability.
• Analysis of sex differences, with particular attention to prospective and retrospective judgment paradigms and moderating variables.

Main Results:

• A small but statistically significant overall sex difference in duration judgment magnitude was observed.
• No overall sex effect was found in prospective judgments, but moderator variables showed effects.
• Retrospective judgments revealed a larger subjective-to-objective duration ratio for females than males, with significant moderation by several variables.
• Females exhibited greater intersubject variability in their duration judgments compared to males.

Conclusions:

• Sex differences in duration judgment magnitude are small but significant, influenced by the judgment paradigm.
• Females' retrospective duration judgments are more influenced by subjective experience than males'.
• Females demonstrate greater variability in duration judgments and may sustain attention to time and utilize episodic memory differently than males.