How does it feel? Passage of time judgments in speeded RT performance

Bratzke, Daniel; Hansen, Arne · 2023 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01854-4

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Summary

This study investigates the relationship between duration perception and the subjective feeling of the passage of time (POT), specifically within the millisecond range during active cognitive tasks. While previous research often treats these as distinct phenomena, particularly in seconds- or minutes-long intervals, the authors sought to determine if they mirror each other when participants introspect about their own reaction time (RT) performance. The motivation stems from theoretical ambiguities regarding how internal clock mechanisms relate to the subjective experience of time passing, especially when no external clock is available. To address this, Bratzke and Hansen conducted an online experiment with 51 participants (after excluding 11 for high error rates) using a speeded numerical comparison task. Participants judged whether presented numbers (in digit or word notation) were larger or smaller than 45. Task difficulty was manipulated via numerical distance (close vs. far from 45) and notation. After each response, participants provided either an introspective RT estimate (IRT) or a POT judgment on a visual analogue scale. The design allowed for the comparison of how these two temporal judgments responded to objective RTs and task difficulty factors. The results demonstrated that both IRTs and POT judgments closely mirrored objective RTs. Both measures showed significant main effects for numerical distance and notation, with longer estimated durations and slower perceived passage of time associated with more difficult comparisons (close numbers and word notation). Linear mixed-effects modeling revealed that POT judgments were significantly predicted by objective RT and numerical distance, with no significant difference in how these factors influenced IRTs versus POT judgments. Notably, while a numerical size effect influenced RTs and IRTs, it did not significantly affect POT judgments, suggesting some divergence in how numerical magnitude biases estimates. However, the overall pattern indicated that difficult tasks led to a slower passage of time, contrasting with some prior findings in longer time intervals where difficulty sometimes accelerated POT. The significance of these findings lies in the conclusion that duration perception and passage of time judgments are largely indistinguishable in the millisecond range when the interval is filled with active task processing. This suggests that in short, cognitively demanding intervals, POT judgments may be inferred from duration estimates or share a common underlying mechanism. The study implies that the dissociation between duration and POT observed in longer, passive intervals may not apply to brief, active cognitive tasks, challenging the assumption that these temporal experiences are always distinct.

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• time perception