Prelude: The Process of Time Perception
Time perception is possibly the most important function our brain performs. It’s an action which without, society would not function with any order. Time dictates how long we’re required to work, how long industrial processes take to manufacture essential items, and, most importantly, how early you need to leave to beat traffic and enjoy happy hour specials. Joking aside, our ability to perceive time accurately underpins modern human existence.
The Brain’s Time Perception Process
To begin this discussion, we’ll first examine the brain regions that govern time perception. The five main areas involved are the basal ganglia, cerebellum, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and the parietal cortex. The basic flow of information through these areas starts with the prefrontal cortex detecting stimuli that is then interpreted by the parietal cortex. Next, the basal ganglia executes the motor functions necessary to act on such stimuli, during which minor adjustments are made by the cerebellum. Finally, the hippocampus detects connections between the current experiences and past ones to form new long-term memories.
It’s important to note each of the areas described have several overlapping functions. The basal ganglia, for example, also plays an important role in the formation of habits and motivation. Also, the above process does not discuss the occipital and temporal lobes responsible for receiving external stimuli, the strength of which can greatly affect the time perception process.
Analyzing Time Perception
The best example of extreme stimuli affecting time perception is during exercise. In April 2024, a study conducted at Northumbria University tested the effect of physical exercise on time perception by recording participants during three (3), 4km cycling sessions. During each workout, participants were asked at regular distance intervals how long it took for 30s and 60s to pass. As a control, the participants were asked the same interval questions before and after the workouts.
To further test the hypothesis distractions also affect time perception, two of the three exercise intervals included another participant. In one of the intervals the participant was directed to finish as fast as possible regardless of the other participant. In the other, the participant was directed to beat the other participant.
The study ultimately determined exercise invariably shortened time perception — the elapsed time was shorter than the perceived time. It also determined the presence of a competitor had no effect on time perception, though in the interval where the participants raced their interval time was quicker. In short, pain slows time.
The Difficulties of Measuring Time Perception
Other studies have attempted to replicate these results to definitively explain what circumstances cause the brain to distort time. In the several studies I read, the conclusion was consistently “we don’t know.” We can all describe empirical situations where time has “dragged on” or “went by too quickly”, but thus far associating hard science with these moments has proven challenging.
Time Perception is Subjective
I will argue these challenges are two-fold. First, exercise is an easy medium to test time perception given its isolation of a pain stimulus. Empirical situations are subjective and therefore difficult to quantify both external and internal stimuli. Particularly, the relationship between external stimuli and memory recall is almost impossible to account for but highly influential to the participant.
Time is an Ambiguous Concept
Second, and more curiously, the concept of time is fraught with ambiguity. The Ancient Egyptians used sundials and water clocks. The Ancient Greeks used lunar calendars, and Islamic cultures have long used the sunrise and sunset to dictate prayer times. In fact, the first use of the “second” didn’t appear until the year 1000 via Persian scholar Al-Biruni, who also defined the minute, hour, and day based on the lunar cycle. The mechanical clock wouldn’t be widely adopted until 600 years later following Christiaan Huygens’ invention of the Grandfather clock.
When you combine this history with other factors such as the earth’s rotation varying slightly each year, ergo why we have leap years, you begin to see the discrepancies amongst this seemingly universal measurement. Marrying this realization with what we now understand about the role external stimuli play in time perception, and the questions begin to mount.
What if a minute was 100 seconds instead of 60? How would we have tracked time when the earth’s rotation took 21 hours (which it was during the Ordovician Period ~400 million years ago)? Why did we shift away from using the sun as a universal clock?
The History of Time Series
All are fantastic questions that warrant their own pieces. The history of time is incredible in both complexity and impact. And because of that, we’re going to further elaborate on it over the coming weeks. How long or how many pieces we will write to be determined, but the one thing that is determined is it will be worth our time and yours to read.
Be More.
Become Polymathic.
Quote of the Week: “Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.” ― Lao Tzu
