clock illusion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "clock illusion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing perception of time or psychological phenomena related to time perception. Example: "The clock illusion demonstrates how our perception of time can be distorted under certain conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For example, in the "stopped clock illusion", the second-hand appears to be momentarily frozen when one first looks at a clock's face.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This is known as the "stopped-clock illusion" and is thought to be caused by tiny eye movements, known as saccades, that temporarily slow our perception, leading it to look like the hand of the clock is jammed before it picks up again.

BBC

Don't panic, the 11 minutes and 46 seconds you see at the bottom of the YouTube player are but an illusion: clocking in at just over seven minutes, Gaga's new video – an "ARTPOP Film" that premieres her new single G.U.Y. – is an epic parody of male dominated capitalism and celebration of Greek mythology.

The Guardian - Music

The question is whether we actually want to recover, or merely wind the clocks back to the illusion of growth.

The Guardian - Opinion

Through the imposition of "clock time," the government attempts to preserve the illusion that life is continuing as usual.

Huffington Post

"This piece is based on the idea of time perception and the fact that our inner clock is constantly distorted by temporal and spatial illusion with emotion having a huge role," McGloughlin writes, in the video's description.

Vice

So though young Marclay seems to be in agreement with me on the illusion of the past and future, The Clock is nothing if not an affirmation of the view that all remembrances and all anticipations exist in the present.

Huffington Post

These results are the first clear evidence of a filled interval illusion in rats, and they suggest that this difference may reflect a clock rate effect (greater for filled intervals) rather than a switch latency effect (slower for empty intervals).

Behavioural Processes

"The Clock," an installation at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center until Aug. 1, at once celebrates those illusions and explodes them.

The New York Times

In this respect, current interpretations of temporal processing and duration judgment, including the sound-induced double-flash illusion, have been generally discussed by postulating the existence of one or more internal clocks (e.g., [ 32 35]).

Current Biology

The Grandpa Clock, an update of the grandfather clock by Jansen + Co, an Amsterdam design firm, appears to be more illusion than reality.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the "clock illusion", specify the context (e.g., initial gaze, saccadic eye movements) to provide clarity, as this phenomenon is highly dependent on specific conditions.

Common error

Avoid attributing the "clock illusion" to a mechanical problem with the clock itself. This is a perceptual phenomenon, not a defect in the device.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clock illusion" primarily functions as a noun phrase that identifies a specific type of perceptual illusion related to time perception. It describes a phenomenon where the perceived duration of an event is distorted, often involving the visual observation of a clock. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's usability in discussing psychological and perceptual concepts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "clock illusion" refers to a perceptual distortion where the second hand of a clock appears to momentarily freeze when first observed. Grammatically sound as a noun phrase, it labels a specific cognitive phenomenon. While not frequently used, it appears in both scientific and news contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig. To enhance clarity, it is recommended to specify the context in which the illusion occurs. Alternative terms include "stopped clock phenomenon" and "chronostasis". According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is indeed usable in written English when discussing perception of time or psychological phenomena related to time perception.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stopped clock phenomenon

Replaces "illusion" with a more scientific term, "phenomenon", focusing on the observable aspect.

chronostasis

Uses the technical term for the illusion of time stopping, specifically related to saccadic eye movements.

time perception distortion

Focuses on the alteration of time perception, highlighting the subjective experience.

temporal illusion

A broader term for illusions related to time, not necessarily specific to clocks.

apparent clock freeze

Describes the effect of the illusion, emphasizing the seeming halt of the clock's movement.

visual misrepresentation of a clock

Shifts the focus to the visual aspect of the illusion, highlighting how the clock is perceived incorrectly.

deceptive clock appearance

Emphasizes the misleading nature of the clock's appearance.

false perception of time on a clock

Highlights the incorrect interpretation of time as displayed on a clock.

subjective clock experience

Focuses on the personal and variable experience of time when observing a clock.

misinterpreted clock reading

Underscores the act of incorrectly understanding the time shown on a clock.

FAQs

What exactly is the "clock illusion"?

The "clock illusion", also known as chronostasis, is a perceptual phenomenon where the second hand of a clock appears to freeze momentarily when you first look at it. It's caused by your brain filling in the gap during saccadic eye movements.

What causes the "clock illusion"?

The "clock illusion" is primarily attributed to saccadic eye movements, where the brain extends the perceived duration of the first moment after a rapid eye movement to create a stable visual experience.

Are there other "temporal illusions" similar to the "clock illusion"?

Yes, other "temporal illusions" exist, such as the "oddball effect", where infrequent stimuli appear to last longer than frequent stimuli.

Is the "clock illusion" a sign of a neurological problem?

No, the "clock illusion" is a common perceptual phenomenon experienced by most people and is not indicative of any underlying neurological problem. It's a normal function of how the brain processes visual information and time.