Time plays a big role in observation, because how long you look affects what you can see.
Let me explain.
The vividness and indelibility of first impressions is well documented. But from a disciplined movement analysis perspective, an observation of only a few moments can only reveal a unique sequence of unique acts. Such a short sample can hardly be predictable.
In the practice of Movement Pattern Analysis we have found it takes an interview of about two hours to collect enough observations to capture an individual’s characteristic decision-making profile. This is because movement patterns only become apparent over time.
Another classic example is the work of William Condon, who discovered the phenomenon of entrainment, the subtle synchronization that occurs in harmonious face-to-face interactions. Although the films he studied were brief, he spent thousands of hours observing many of these at very slow speeds. It took this extended duration of observation before he could perceive the synchrony that we now know underlies most human encounters.