Emotional modulation of interval timing and time perception

Abstract

Like other senses, our perception of time is not veridical, but rather, is modulated by changes in environmental context. Anecdotal experiences suggest that emotions can be powerful modulators of time perception; nevertheless, the functional and neural mechanisms underlying emotion-induced temporal distortions remain unclear. Widely accepted pacemaker-accumulator models of time perception suggest that changes in arousal and attention have unique influences on temporal judgments and contribute to emotional distortions of time perception. However, such models conflict with current views of arousal and attention suggesting that current models of time perception do not adequately explain the variability in emotion-induced temporal distortions. Instead, findings provide support for a new perspective of emotion-induced temporal distortions that emphasizes both the unique and interactive influences of arousal and attention on time perception over time. Using this framework, we discuss plausible functional and neural mechanisms of emotion-induced temporal distortions and how these temporal distortions may have important implications for our understanding of how emotions modulate our perceptual experiences in service of adaptive responding to biologically relevant stimuli.

Young children embody the time of others in their time judgments: The role of the theory of mind

“…However, in our everyday life, we often experience temporal distortions, with the result that time is judged shorter or longer than it really is, causing it to be underestimated or overestimated. This has been widely demonstrated in studies showing how time judgments vary with experienced emotion (Droit-Volet, 2018;Droit-Volet, Fayolle, Lamotte, & Gil, 2013;Droit-Volet & Meck, 2007;Lake, Labar, & Meck, 2016). This has been widely demonstrated in studies showing how time judgments vary with experienced emotion (Droit-Volet, 2018;Droit-Volet, Fayolle, Lamotte, & Gil, 2013;Droit-Volet & Meck, 2007;Lake, Labar, & Meck, 2016).…”

“…Based on the theories of embodied cognition (Barsalou, 1999(Barsalou, , 2008(Barsalou, , 2010Niedenthal, 2007;Niedenthal, Barsalou, Winkielman, Krauth-Gruber, & Ric, 2005), the theory of grounded time explains that our time judgments are based on our own internal state, either emotional or sensory motor, experienced during the processing of time (Droit-Volet, 2014;Effron, Niedenthal, Gil, & Droit-Volet, 2006;Droit-Volet & Gil, 2009;Wittmann, 2009Wittmann, , 2013. This has been widely demonstrated in studies showing how time judgments vary with experienced emotion (Droit-Volet, 2018;Droit-Volet, Fayolle, Lamotte, & Gil, 2013;Droit-Volet & Meck, 2007;Lake, Labar, & Meck, 2016).…”

Dissociable Effects of Emotional Stimuli on Perception and Decision-Making for Time

“…Emotion and the passing of time are closely linked in the human language; for example, we often comment on time passing more quickly when having fun and time passing more slowly during distressing events. Given this close link, it is not surprising that emotion has been found to alter one's perception of time (Lake et al, 2016). Multiple theories have been presented to explain how emotion alters time perception; the focus of the current study is to tease apart differing explanations between them and compare contributing factors.…”

“…Last is the decision-making stage which involves making a judgment regarding the previously made comparison. This decision can be made by comparing a temporal stimulus with another of a different duration, by reproducing a time interval, or by determining when to perform an action (Allman et al, 2014, Lake et al, 2016.…”

Dynamic arousal signals construct memories of time and events

“…We propose that one solution to this puzzle may involve fluctuations in physiological arousal-a notion inspired by evidence that spikes in arousal yield strikingly similar effects on episodic memory as do shifts in context. First, like event boundaries, emotional stimuli or acute stressors that induce arousal elicit exaggerated estimates of time duration [23,24]. Second, viewing highly arousing videos prior to navigation or sequence learning has been shown to impair temporal order memory for neutral events [25][26][27].…”