1. Assessment of time perception: The effect of aging
- Author
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COELHO, MIGUEL, FERREIRA, JOAQUIM JOSÉ, DIAS, BEATRIZ, SAMPAIO, CRISTINA, MARTINS, ISABEL PAVÃO, and CASTRO-CALDAS, ALEXANDRE
- Abstract
Studies concerning time perception lack a validated assessment tool and a consensual gold-standard measure. Moreover, the present evidence suggests modification of timing with aging. This study aimed to develop and validate a neuropsychological tool to measure time perception and to study temporal perception with aging. Eighty-six healthy participants, aged 1590 years old, were asked to verbally estimate and produce empty intervals signaled by auditory beeps, of 7-, 32-, and 58-s duration. Two tests were used as gold-standards: estimation of the duration of time necessary to draw a clock (clock time) and estimation of the duration of neuropsychological evaluation (global time). Results showed a correlation between estimation and production (
p < .01) and a correlation between estimation or production and global time (p < .01). The correlation between either estimation or production and age (p < .01), suggested a faster internal-clock in the older participants. However, this finding lost significance when controlled for literacy. The results suggest that these tests are potentially a useful tool to measure subjective perception of time. They also corroborate the hypothesis of a change in subjective time perception with aging. It was not possible to conclude if this effect was a specific result of aging or biased by the interference of literacy. (JINS , 2004,10 , 332341.)- Published
- 2004