The Circles Test: An Investigation of Perceptions of Temporal Relatedness and Dominance

Abstract

Perceptions of the relationship of past, present and future and the special significance of any one of the zones is measured in an instrument called the Circles Test which instructs respondents to draw the three zones as circles of varying sizes. A temporal relatedness variable is operationalized as the degree to which circles touch (continuity) or overlap (integration-projection) with one another. Dominance of a zone is defined as its size relative to the other two. In addition, the sense of temporal emergence is examined through a so-called developmental variable. Serving as respondents, Navy personnel indicated that time primarily is atomistic (circles totally unrelated), future dominant (future the largest; past the smallest) and hence future developing. The sexes differ in their assessment of dominance, as size is judged independently by women. Furthermore, among men continuous perceptions tend to reduce future dominance and development. To conclude, temporal relatedness is discussed in terms of its symbolic relevance to perception of causality and change.