Children's psycho‐spatial understanding of affect‐based time: The developmental trajectories of ego‐ and event‐moving perspectives

Abstract

Time is closely linked to people's representation of spatial experience. Previous research showed that adults primed with positive affect judged that they were approaching the event (ego‐moving), whereas those primed with negative affect reported that the event was approaching them (event‐moving). The present research investigated the developmental sensitivity towards psycho‐spatial understanding by examining the role of positive and negative affect on children's perception of time. In Study 1, when tested in a within‐subjects design, 5‐, 7‐, and 9‐year‐olds as well as adults made ego‐moving judgments in response to an object of the positive event that was to happen in 2 days. However, by 9 years, children made adult‐like event‐moving responses to an object that stood for the negative affect. Five‐year‐olds continued to make ego‐moving judgments in the negative valence condition, whereas 7‐year‐olds' responses were in transition. Study 2 replicated the full developmental pattern found in Study 1, even when the positive and negative affect events were towards the identical object in the between‐subjects design and the time span was shortened to a few minutes. Implications of the affective spatiotemporal perception of time were further discussed in relation to the sense of agency. Highlights We uncover the pattern of developmental sensitivity towards the psycho‐spatial embodiment of time, in relation to a positive or negative event. Vignettes were used to ascertain participant's psycho‐spatial view of time in relation to valence; 9‐year‐olds had an adult‐like understanding. Teaching children to use different psycho‐spatial agentic perspectives has the potential to help children at risk of anxiety and depression.