Our perceptions of time...

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by JetPilot, Jul 27, 2007.

  1. JetPilot Registered Senior Member

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    Is there any research done involving how fast different people process things in their brains? What I mean is, if you got someone that thinks really fast, consequently having faster reflexes as well, would he also appear to be feeling like an hour is slightly slower than someone else? Could this also explain why some people are just naturally more hyper than others?

    When bored in an art classroom I sometimes try to think extremely slow to make the clock move faster, it doesn't really work but I wonder if its possible with enough practice....
     
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  3. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    Interesting question. But I'm not sure how we could measure the subjective experience of time.

    Nevertheless, it is clear that our perception varies. I remember as a young child, summer vacation seemed like eternity. Now, summer flies by and I hardly notice.

    I also remember one time I was sitting with a friend of mine in his room when, suddenly, the ceramic cover of the light on his ceiling fell.

    The light was in the center of the ceiling and we were sitting on opposite sides of the room. As the light fixture fell to the floor we both noticed that it seemed to be moving in slow motion. We just watched it, mesmerized, until it hit the floor and shattered.

    It seemed as if either one of us could have easily reached out and caught the fixture, but we were too fascinated by the spectacle to act.
     
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  5. peta9 Registered Senior Member

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    Time seems to move slower when you are not busy but faster when you are.
     
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  7. JetPilot Registered Senior Member

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    Which could make sense since I would assume the brain is more active when you are busy.
     
  8. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    You've got that backwards. A more active brain, should result in time seeming to move more slowly.

    Time seems to move more quickly because you are concentrating on your task and not watching the clock.
     
  9. JetPilot Registered Senior Member

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    doh, let me explain myself further. But maybe time still does go more slowly when you are very busy since you think faster; yet your perception of time overall is more affected by the fact that you need to get your work done on time, which, since there is not much of it appears more valuable and seems to go by faster.

    Kind of an odd example would be when I am taking a test, and giving it all the focus I can give it, most of the time when I stare at the clock to check how much longer I have left I usually am surprised by just how little time has passed by. -(this occurred yesterday morning and I started spinning around this topic while doing chemistry)
     
  10. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    "..if you got someone that thinks really fast, consequently having faster reflexes as well.."

    This does not hold true, reflexes have absolutely nothing to do with thinking.


    I think madanthonywayne worded the most probable explanantion:
    "Time seems to move more quickly because you are concentrating on your task and not watching the clock."
     

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