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Disorders of Temporal Judgment Associated with Amnesic States

Psychological Department, Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester

O. L. Zangwill, M.A.(Cantab.)

Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford

ABSTRACT

1. A short review is given of disturbances in the temporal sphere which have been described in the amnesic syndrome.
   
2. Experiments are reported on defects in the time localization of recent events observed in both chronic and transient amnesic states. It is pointed out that cases of amnesic syndrome commonly antedate recent events and that the resulting overestimation of time-interval is often gross. A similar though less extreme, tendency to antedate recent events is also described in the post-convulsive confusional state. In a few cases, on the other hand, errors are in the opposite direction and a post-dating effect is obtained. A tentative explanation of these errors in temporal judgment is attempted.
   
3. Some further experiments are reported on the recall of serial order and the apprehension of numerical sequence. It is pointed out that order of sequence is exceptionally poorly retained in amnesic conditions and that those items which are best remembered tend to be regarded as the most recent. In severely amnesic states, disturbances in the apprehension of sequence itself may also be found.
   
4. It is concluded that localization in time and the recall of serial order of recent events are aspects of memory particularly liable to dissolution in organic amnesic states.
   

Received for publication October 22, 1949.