Karl von Vierordt
Encyclopedia
Karl von Vierordt was a German
physician
. He studied at the universities of Berlin
, Göttingen
, Vienna
, and Heidelberg
, and began a practice in Karlsruhe
in 1842. In 1849 he became a professor of theoretical medicine at the University of Tübingen, and in 1853 a professor of physiology
.
Vierordt developed techniques and tools for the monitoring of blood circulation
. He is credited for the construction of an early "hemotachometer", an apparatus for monitoring the velocity of blood flow. Also, a device called a sphygmograph
was created in 1854 by Vierordt. It was a mechanism consisting of weights and levers used to estimate blood pressure
, and is considered a forerunner of the modern sphygmomanometer
. One of his better known written works was a treatise on the arterial pulse titled Die Lehre vom Arterienpuls im gesunden und kranken Zustände.
Vierordt also made substantial contributions to the psychology of time perception
, via his book (published in 1868) Der Zeitsinn nach Versuchen, "The experimental study of the time sense". This reported a large number of experiments on the perception of duration, with the time sense being considered a "general sense" along with the perception of space, in contrast to the "special senses" such as vision and hearing. Included in this book is discussion of, and evidence for, what has come to be known as Vierordt's Law
: roughly the proposition that short durations tends to be overestimated, while long durations tend to be underestimated.
Between these two extremes is a "point of indifference" where the "time sensation", in Vierordt's terminology, corresponds exactly to physical time. However, the 1868 book does much more than report this "law" and contains extensive discussions of different methods used to measure duration perception, as well as different sorts of errors that can occur.
Although Vierordt was not the first person to carry out experiments on time perception, his 1868 book involved much more extensive experimentation and discussion than had been carried out until then.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. He studied at the universities of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, and began a practice in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
in 1842. In 1849 he became a professor of theoretical medicine at the University of Tübingen, and in 1853 a professor of physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
.
Vierordt developed techniques and tools for the monitoring of blood circulation
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
. He is credited for the construction of an early "hemotachometer", an apparatus for monitoring the velocity of blood flow. Also, a device called a sphygmograph
Sphygmograph
The sphygmograph was a mechanical device used to measure blood pressure in the mid-19th century. It was developed in 1854 by German physiologist Karl von Vierordt...
was created in 1854 by Vierordt. It was a mechanism consisting of weights and levers used to estimate blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
, and is considered a forerunner of the modern sphygmomanometer
Sphygmomanometer
A sphygmomanometer or blood pressure meter is a device used to measure blood pressure, comprising an inflatable cuff to restrict blood flow, and a mercury or mechanical manometer to measure the pressure. It is always used in conjunction with a means to determine at what pressure blood flow is just...
. One of his better known written works was a treatise on the arterial pulse titled Die Lehre vom Arterienpuls im gesunden und kranken Zustände.
Vierordt also made substantial contributions to the psychology of time perception
Time perception
Time perception is a field of study within psychology and neuroscience. It refers to the sense of time, which differs from other senses since time cannot be directly perceived but must be reconstructed by the brain. Humans can perceive relatively short periods of time, in the order of milliseconds,...
, via his book (published in 1868) Der Zeitsinn nach Versuchen, "The experimental study of the time sense". This reported a large number of experiments on the perception of duration, with the time sense being considered a "general sense" along with the perception of space, in contrast to the "special senses" such as vision and hearing. Included in this book is discussion of, and evidence for, what has come to be known as Vierordt's Law
Vierordt's law
Karl von Vierordt was the first to record a law of time perception which relates perceived duration to actual duration over different interval magnitudes, and according to task complexity....
: roughly the proposition that short durations tends to be overestimated, while long durations tend to be underestimated.
Between these two extremes is a "point of indifference" where the "time sensation", in Vierordt's terminology, corresponds exactly to physical time. However, the 1868 book does much more than report this "law" and contains extensive discussions of different methods used to measure duration perception, as well as different sorts of errors that can occur.
Although Vierordt was not the first person to carry out experiments on time perception, his 1868 book involved much more extensive experimentation and discussion than had been carried out until then.
External links
- Picture, short biography and bibliography in the Virtual LaboratoryVirtual LaboratoryThe online project Virtual Laboratory. Essays and Resources on the Experimentalization of Life, 1830-1930, located at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, is dedicated to research in the history of the experimentalization of life...
of the Max Planck Institute for the History of ScienceMax Planck Institute for the History of ScienceThe Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin was established in March 1994. Its research is primarily devoted to a theoretically oriented history of science, principally of the natural sciences, but with methodological perspectives drawn from the cognitive sciences and from...