There perception of time it is nothing more than a product of complex interaction between emotions, Attention And context. Ours: https://www.geopop.it/ma-e-vero-che-sfruttiamo-solo-il-10-del-nostro-cervello-no-sfatiamo-il-mito-con-la-scienza/, constantly adapting to experiences, it modulates temporal perception based on our psychological and physical reality of the moment. This makes the perception of time a dynamic and subjective phenomenonwhich uniquely reflects the way we live our lives. From a neurological point of view, the subjective perception of time is mainly regulated by the prefrontal cortex, the cerebellum and the limbic system. Factors such as emotional involvement, age and the attention we pay in certain situations influence our perception of time, for example novelty and intense emotions give a slowed perception of time, while habits and routines accumulated over the years speed it up, almost ” disappearing” from memory. Finally, substance abuse or stress conditions and chronic fatigue can also give us an altered perception of time.
How we perceive time and how the brain measures it
There is no single “clock in the brain” that makes time pass in a constant and equal way for everyone. Temporal perception emerges from a complex system of interconnected brain areas. Although neuroscientific research does not yet have a certain picture of how our brain keeps track of time, and although there is a marked division to be made between prospective time estimate (that of the perception of the passage of time) and that retrospective (the one we use when estimating the duration of a past event), we can still note some general areas of particular importance.
Among these we find the prefrontal cortexwhich helps us plan and evaluate timelines, the cerebellumwhich manages the passage of time in the short term, and the limbic systemthe region that controls our emotions, which strongly influence our attention and some fundamental neurotransmitters. When we perceive time, the brain creates a representation influenced by our emotions, level of attention and even the repetitiveness of experiences; it is therefore a representation that ends up being “subjective”, that is, strongly dependent on the elements we have described.
Emotions influence the perception of time
THE’emotional intensity it is perhaps the factor that most influences the perception of time. In particularly emotional or stressful situations, such as a frightening or adrenaline-filled event, theamygdalaa small area of the limbic system that processes emotions. During these moments, the amygdala requests theAttention a greater effort, thus recording a large number of details, as if the brain wanted to ensure a “photograph” specifies everything that happens. It is an evolutionary reaction that allows us to perceive time as dilatedhelping us to process the environment more effectively and react promptly.
In a neutral situation or with little emotional involvement, however, the brain processes fewer details and the perception of time accelerate. Events in which little happens are therefore underestimated in their duration, while those full of emotions seem to last longer.
However, when boredom comes into play, for example queuing at the post office, feelings of anxiety can be triggered anger And nervousnessemotions that will activate the brain again, placing us in a greater state Attention. Let’s also not forget that in these situations we also tend to look at the clock more often, placing ourselves in a state of active time monitoring which will make us perceive a dilated and interminable time.
News, attention and “time bubbles”
Novelty also plays a crucial role in the perception of time. When we are faced with new stimulithe brain intensifies attentionanalyzing with greater care what happens around us. This phenomenon, known as novelty-induced time dilationmakes unique or non-repetitive events seem to last longer than usual ones. On the contrary, during routine or boring activitiesthe brain uses fewer attentional resources and leaves pass time more quickly. This is why the daily commute to work, or the afternoons spent on social media, often seem to “disappear” from memory.
In certain cases, when we are completely absorbed in an activity – a condition known as state of flow – the perception of time alters in a surprising way. In this state, common among artists, athletes and professionals engaged in highly stimulating activities, the brain “forgets” to keep track of time. Focused only on the goal, it reduces the processing of external stimuli and creates a kind of “time bubble” where hours can pass without us realizing it.
Why does time seem to speed up with age?
As we grow up, many people notice that time seems to pass faster. One reason is that as we age we accumulate an increasing number of experiences, e.g every single experience has less weight in the context of our overall life. For example, a year represents a large part of a child’s life, while for an adult it is only a small fraction of the time lived. Furthermore, the repetitiveness of daily experiences increases with agecontributing to a feeling of “routine” which accelerates the perception of time, as explained by a 2015 research published in Procedia – Social and Behavioral Science.
Effects of substances and psychophysical conditions on the perception of time
Also substances And psychophysical conditions can influence the perception of time. Drugs like hallucinogens tend to dilate temporal perception, creating an experience in which each minute seems to extend, while the stimulants Often they accelerate the perception of time. In fact, substances such as methamphetamine or cocaine are dopaminergic agonists that increase the speed of the internal clock. Even states like that tiredness or it chronic stress can influence: in conditions of prolonged stress, the brain remains in a state of vigilance which slows down perceived time, probably to better respond to possible threats.
Sources
