Subjective duration of sound bursts can diverge drastically from objective duration

Evidence

When we talk about duration, we normally think of objective duration, i.e. physical duration measured in seconds, milliseconds or minutes. This is so, although we often check durations by listening to them in music, for example, or by giving a talk, where a short silence can add emphasis. If such durations can be measured by listening, they cannot be objective durations but must be subjective because they correspond to sensations. Subjective duration is not drastically different from objective duration if the durations of long-lasting sound bursts are compared. Therefore, it is often assumed that subjective duration and objective duration are almost equal. This is not so, however, when the duration of sound bursts is compared with the duration of sound pauses. In this case, drastic differences appear which indicate the need to consider subjective duration as a separate sensation. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1474

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces ‘subjective duration’ as a distinct perceptual sensation, in contrast to objective physical duration.
• QUESTION: What exactly differs between perceived duration of bursts versus pauses — ratio, compression? Worth chasing the supporting data.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1474