Depressed affect and time perception.

Abstract

The article presents a resolution of an empirical conflict about the effect of depressed affect on time perception. We propose that depressed affect produces a subjective slowing of time but does not alter the perception of objective chronometric time passage. A between-subjects experiment is reported in which temporary depressed, neutral, and elated states were induced in adult subjects who then performed a sorting task for either 4 rain or 13 min. Results of a measure of subjective speed of time passage revealed that time passed more slowly for the depressed subjects than for subjects in the other two affect conditions. Chronometric time judgments, however, were not influenced by perceiver affective state. The real-time difference of 4 min vereus 13 min did significantly affect chronometric time judgments, but it had no effect on judgments of subjective speed of time passage. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance both to previous time perception research and to the general understanding of depressed affect.

Maternal Autonomy Granting: Predictors of Normal and Depressed Mothers' Compliance and Noncompliance with the Requests of Five-Year-Olds

“…They have also been described as more reactive and less planful, particularly in the face of child-rearing stress (Kochanska et al, , 1989. Research on time perception indicates that depressed people have a curtailed time perspective; they feel that "time is standing still," that they are "trapped" in the present moment (Dilling & Rabin, 1967;Hawkins, French, Crawford, & Enzle, 1988;Mezey & Cohen, 1961), and they have been described as individuals whose "road to the future has been blocked" and who cannot easily transcend the immediate context. Consequently, depressed mothers' responses to children's behavior may be more determined by immediate situational cues than by long-term plans or needs of children.…”

Time, Emotion and the Embodiment of Timing

“…To date, the results of studies of time perception in individuals with depressive symptoms have been inconsistent and contradictory, probably due to the heterogeneity of the populations sampled (clinically depressed patients vs. healthy participants with depressive symptoms) and the diversity of the temporal tasks employed (Msetfi et al, 2012). Some studies have failed to find any evidence of disturbed duration judgments for different levels of depression (Bech, 1975;Hawkins, French, Crawford & Enzle, 1988;Kitamura & Kumar, 1984;Mezey & Cohen, 1961;Munzel, Gendner, Steinberg & Raith, 1988;Prabhu, Agrawal & Teja, 1969;Wyrick & Wyrick, 1997). Other studies, by contrast, have found that depressive mood disrupts time judgments by causing time distortions and/or by reducing sensitivity to time (Bschor et al, 2004;Grinker, Glucksman, Hirsch & Viseltear, 1973;Kitamura & Kumar, 1982;Kuhs, Hermann, Kammer & Tolle, 1991;Msetfi et al, 2012;Mun- , 1988;Rammsayer, 1990;Sévigny, Everett & Grondin, 2003;Tysk, 1984;Wyrick & Wyrick, 1977).…”

Accuracy of estimation of time-intervals in psychogeriatric outpatients

“…Whereas some authors reported a detrimental effect of depression on time experience (Mezey and Cohen, 1961;Bech, 1975), no evidence was found for the effect of depression on the estimation of the passage of time (Mezey and Cohen 1961;Kitamura and Kumar, 1984;Hawkins et al, 1988;Levy and Dreier, 1997). Whereas some authors reported a detrimental effect of depression on time experience (Mezey and Cohen, 1961;Bech, 1975), no evidence was found for the effect of depression on the estimation of the passage of time (Mezey and Cohen 1961;Kitamura and Kumar, 1984;Hawkins et al, 1988;Levy and Dreier, 1997).…”