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Secrets of the Time Traveler: Can you understand how the "sense of timing" works?
In the fields of psychology and neuroscience, time perception or time perception refers to the subjective experience of time, as measured by an individual's perception of the duration of an event. Time perception is usually divided into different categories, which involve the processing of duration in different brain areas.
"Perception of time is a crucial function in human survival and interaction."
Our perception of time can condense the ever-changing world into memories. Historically, the ancient Greeks had recognized the difference in "sense of timing" and distinguished between objective timing (Chronos) and subjective sense of time (Kairos). For example, when we watch a movie, the development of the plot affects our perception of time, and certain long scenes may feel longer than they actually are. Other scenes may make us feel like time flies because of the rapid plot advancement.
Psychologists and neuroscientists use a variety of scientific experiments to study the mechanisms of time perception. For example, Easterbrook's "aesthetics of time" suggests that time intervals with more variation are perceived to be longer. These phenomena show that the perception of time is not just the result of calculation, but also a complex psychological process.
“Humans have multiple complementary systems for processing the perception of time.”
The three main categories of time perception include: sub-second timing, interval time (between seconds and minutes) and daily cycle timing. Each category involves different brain areas. For example, the intracranial supraoptic nucleus is responsible for circadian rhythms that rely on light signal regulation, while other neurons are capable of shorter-term perception.
However, there are also many philosophical considerations in the perception of time. The concept of the "illusory present" mentioned by William James emphasizes that the present we experience is not a static point, but a flowing process. This makes us realize that all perceptions are based on memories of the past and expectations of the future.
In this context, experiments show that even when mice have their cerebral cortex completely removed, they can still accurately estimate time for about 40 seconds, suggesting that time estimation may be a low-level cognitive process. This increases our interest in time perception in non-human animals, not only within the biological context, but also further reflects the commonalities among organisms.
"Animals of many species have the ability to estimate and compare time intervals."
Take fish as an example. Studies have shown that goldfish can respond to sudden electric shocks within a specific period of time. This demonstrates their ability to sense time. Likewise, birds have demonstrated the ability to rely on internal timers to identify different comparison times, a process that is not entirely dependent on external environmental cues.
In terms of mammals, the behavior of dogs reflects their ability to respond differently depending on the length of time their owners have been away, while mice have demonstrated the ability to learn time knowledge based on the sequence of events, which fully proves that animals have a clear understanding of time. of perceived similarities between each other.
What drives our thinking is the time illusion in time perception, which is a distortion in subjective perception. For example, when events at the same interval pass by, people often recall different time labels in their memory, further challenging our understanding of time. A similar phenomenon is the "strange ball effect", that is, in a continuous stream of identical events, the duration of the first and last events is usually overestimated.
"The study of time perception not only reveals our subjective psychological processes, but also calls for in-depth exploration of the actual operating mechanism."
With the study of time perception, we gradually realize that time is not only a linear dimension, but a structure throughout our perception and behavior. Exploring the nature of time is undoubtedly a path full of challenges and revelations. Have you ever thought about how the subjective experience of time shapes our sense of existence and behavior?
