Time perception, or more extensively time processing (i.e., time perception, estimation, reproduction and monitoring), refers to the ‘subjective’ experience of time.
Time processing is one of the most pervasive and essential aspects of our mental functioning since it is involved in all motor, perceptual, and cognitive activities. Timing of intervals ranging from seconds to minutes is crucial for representing the external environment (Buhusi and Meck, 2005, Grondin, 2010). Many everyday circumstances indeed involve short duration estimation. For example, while driving a car or crossing a street, time and speed estimates provide vital information.
It is worthwhile to notice that, despite there are no dedicated sensory receptors for perceiving time and although there is often no awareness of it, this ability is extremely precise. It is recruited in a widespread number of activities, for example, synchronizing movements, predicting and anticipating events (or estimating durations).
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Bisiacchi, P.S., Cona, G. (2017). Time Perception and Aging. In: Pachana, N.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_207
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