How Symbolic Meaning Influences Time Perception in Primary School Children and Adults

The time dimension is always embedded in any human experience and is an inseparable part of it. According to scalar timing theory, timing behavior is based on the output of an internal clock that provides long-term memory representations that can be retrieved and compared with the representation of the current temporal interval held in short-term memory. The present study investigated how symbolic meaning affects time perception in school children and adults. Stimuli with different symbolic meaning are be employed (the meaning of fastness or slowness). When the stimulus presented recalled the meaning of fastness, temporal intervals were underestimated, whereas, when the stimulus presented recalled the meaning of slowness, temporal intervals were over-estimated. The present study also pointed out the importance of selecting the appropriate method to investigate time perception.