Sensation and Perception II

Perception of Time

FUNCTIONS

telling you durationprocesses that need time

mathematical integration (m/s/s -> m/s)motion (m/s)use of motion (time to contact)

telling you when to go to bedsynchronizing mating (to annual cycle)

circadian rythmns light

suprachiasmatic nucleuspinealmelatonin

biological clocktemperature (hot makes it faster)drugs amphetamine --> slower

pentobarbitol --> faster

lesions abolish free-running rythmsactivity related to circadian rythmsisolated suprachiasmatic nucleus still cycles

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

60

65

70

969594

time seems slow

time seems fast

divers

sick wife

right answer

cold hot

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 100s)

actual time (eg. 40s)

time OVERESTIMATEDeg. when sick, or when something horrid is happening

time UNDERESTIMATEDeg. when cold or when distracted

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 40s)

time OVERESTIMATEDclock ticks faster

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 100s)

time UNDERESTIMATEDclock ticks slower

INFORMATION-STORAGE SIZE THEORY

more information, takes longer

ATTENTION THEORY

attention-use temporal properties

more attention-demanding, less you notice time...

more elements -- seems longercomplexity -- seems longerambiguous -- longer than disambiguated

uncompleted more "memorable" and longer

Evidence for INFORMATION-STORAGE SIZE

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 100s)

actual time (eg. 40s)

time OVERESTIMATED-- more elements

time UNDERESTIMATED-- less elements

INFORMATION STORAGETHEORY

"When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity!"

Albert Einstein

Journal of Exothermic Science and Technology (JEST, Vol. 1, No. 9; 1938).

"Estimate when 20 secs has passed"

reading recalling moving speaking noneTim

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

(project with Jonathan Shulman)

clock ticks slower

clock ticks faster

readingrecallin

gmoving

speakingnone

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ly p

asse

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

} 20 secs

clock ticks slower

clock ticks faster

Evidence for ATTENTION theory

concentrating -- faster than not concentrating"the watched pot never boils"

clock ticks slower

clock ticks faster

concentrating

not concentrating

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 100s)

actual time (eg. 40s)

time OVERESTIMATED-- not concentrating

time UNDERESTIMATED-- concentrating

ATTENTIONTHEORY

Aging

• time goes faster• time/lifespan (Weber's law)• clock slowing down?• dopamine depletion?

Space and Time affect each other 1

seemed longeroverestimation

seemed fasterunderestimation

right answer

perceived time (eg. 60s)

actual time (eg. 100s)

actual time (eg. 40s)

time OVERESTIMATED-- small screen-- clocks ticks faster

time UNDERESTIMATED-- big screen-- clock ticks slower

-- All of these represent the same speed (m/s)-- bigger distance -- faster time!

compression of space = compression of time!

Space and Time affect each other 2

Tau effect (effect of time on distance)if it takes longer time between A and B then it seems longer distance

Space and Time affect each other 3

Kappa effect (effect of distance on time)If distance bigger, time between flashes seems longer.

TAU effect (time affects distance)

which distance is longer:

A

Or:

B

KAPPA EFFECT

Which interval seems longer:

A

Or:

B

Summary of Time Perception

Functions: integration/motion/circadian rythms/mating

Biology: light/suprachiasmatic nucleus/pineal/melatonin

Biological clock: temperature/drugs

Theories: information storage/attention

Effects of aging

Space/Time interactions: Tau and Kappa effects