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In a dramatic moment from the UK version of the TV show The Traitors, contestants were given just five minutes to gather as much gold as they could and secure it into cages before time ran out. But there was a catch— they weren’t told when the five minutes were up. Instead, they had to rely on their internal sense of time to decide when to end the task. Many contestants, under the pressure of finding gold and avoiding sabotage, ended the task early after just three minutes.
This raises an intriguing question: Why are we so notoriously bad at judging time? Is it possible to time an hour or even a minute accurately without looking at a clock? It turns out, our ability to judge time isn’t as precise as we might believe.
Humans don’t have a “clock” in our brains to measure time perfectly. Instead, our perception of time can fluctuate based on emotional states and the activities we’re engaged in. Emotions, in particular, have a profound impact on how time feels. For example, when faced with extreme stress, such as in life-threatening situations, we often experience the sensation that time slows down. This phenomenon is tied to our brain’s emotional processing centers and physical reactions, such as an elevated heart rate.
Recent studies have explored this effect in more controlled settings. One study involved participants walking across a virtual crumbling ice bridge while wearing a VR headset. As they traversed the bridge, ice blocks would crack and give way, simulating a perilous fall. The research team monitored heart rates and sweat levels throughout the task. The findings revealed that those who experienced greater emotional arousal—likely from the fear of falling—were more likely to feel that time had slowed down.
Interestingly, it’s not just high-stakes situations that can warp our sense of time. Emotions during everyday events also have a profound influence. When we’re enjoying ourselves, such as during fun social interactions, time seems to fly by unnoticed. This is because we tend to focus less on time when we’re happy or relaxed. On the other hand, when we’re bored or anxiously waiting for something, time seems to drag because we tend to obsess over its passage.
The influence of emotional states and attention on our sense of time is a result of how our brains allocate limited mental resources. When we’re engaged in enjoyable or immersive activities, we don’t need to keep track of time, so it feels like it passes faster. However, when we’re awaiting something uncertain—such as a delayed train—we fixate on time, which makes it feel like it’s moving slower.
This effect was evident in The Traitors task, where contestants, overwhelmed by the stress of the game and the uncertainty of their situation, were unable to accurately gauge the passage of time. Their attention was consumed by the excitement of the task and the fear of betrayal, which led them to end the challenge prematurely, losing out on valuable prize money. Their heightened emotional states and reduced attention to time were key contributors to their inaccurate timing.
Understanding how emotions and attention shape our sense of time can help us navigate these distortions. If you find yourself in a stressful situation where time seems to slow down, focusing on staying calm can help. Reducing emotional arousal may make time feel like it’s speeding up. Conversely, if you’re stuck in a boring or tedious situation, such as waiting for a shift at work to end, distraction is the key to making time feel like it’s flying by.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on research from The Conversation. The article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The content is based on the perspectives of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publication.
