Body Temperature and the Sense of Time: A Translation of Francois (1927) with a Commentary

Abstract

The main body of the text presents an English translation of the article by François (1927) on body temperature and time judgements. In summary, François used diathermy, the passage of high-frequency electric current through the body, to change body temperature in three young female participants. Two timing tasks: tapping at a rate that was usually 3/s, and adjusting a variable-speed metronome to a rate judged to be 4/s were used. In general, increases in body temperature shortened the intervals produced, but lengthened duration estimates. The author also discusses (a) the potential use of diurnal variation in body temperature, (b) the use of pulse rate as a predictor of time judgements, and (c) the use of febrile patients. The translation is followed by a short commentary focussing on later studies of body temperature and time judgements, and studies of aspects of heart rate and time judgements.