兩個術(shù)語的區(qū)別在于cooling-off period (爭議緩和期）為民商法上的術(shù)語，指貨物銷售或罷工中，爭議雙方當(dāng)事人所需進一步考慮或談判，從而不采取任何具體沖突行為之時間[1]。cooling time (神智平息期）則為刑法術(shù)語，常用作指情感受刺激或挑釁后的一種激情或憤怒之平息時間，以對其行為后果作正確判斷等[2]?！队h雙解法律詞典》（世界圖書出版社，第 132頁）將他們列為同義術(shù)語，說前者是英式英語，而后者為美語，此種說法是否正確，望讀者謹(jǐn)慎。
[1]“ An opportunity to resile from a contract and cancel it within a specified time period. ”Cf. G. H. I. Fridman, Sale of Goods in Canada, 3rd edition, at p. 492, Toronto, Carswell (1986). " The time before a strike or lock-out may begin. " Cf. Labor Management Regulation Act, s. 2.
[2]“Time in which to become calm following provocation. If a court finds that the cooling time was sufficient or reasonable，a defendant may not use provocation to reduce a murder charge to involuntary manslaughter. ”Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D.，Merriam
Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 106，Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (1996).