Time Psychology: Why We Perceive Time In Different Ways

Sometimes it seems that time goes by so fast, especially when we feel happy. When we have fun, it flies. On the other hand, when we are not feeling so well, it seems that time is really dragging on. Although the time course is the same, how we perceive time can vary greatly. Time psychology goes further and shows us how we perceive time can affect our behavior.

The Good Samaritan experiment

The Good Samaritan experiment gives us an idea of ​​how we perceive time can affect our behavior. In this experiment, some lecturers were told that they had to go to another building to give a lecture. While some were told that they had plenty of time to get there, others were told that they were late and that everyone was already waiting for them.

On the way, they came across a careless person lying on the floor, dressed in rags. Most of the lecturers who were told they had plenty of time stopped by to help. But most of those who were told they were late passed him by. Ironically (and not by chance), the lecturers were there to talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan!

The conclusion from this was that the people behaved differently because of the time they thought they had available. Those who were in a hurry only thought about the future. They were focused on their apparent delay, and for that reason they did not stop to help. On the other hand, those who had time to spare were more focused on the present and stopped to help.

Let’s take a look at time psychology and learn more about it.

How we perceive time, according to time psychology

Based on the findings of the Good Samaritan experiment, two researchers, Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd, started a study of time psychology. Their work culminated in a categorization of the different time perspectives. According to Zimbardo and Boyd, there are six time perspectives, and people tend to lean more towards one of them in particular and are more oriented towards some than others. Here are the six perspectives:

Positive past

People who are more inclined towards the ” positive past ” remember the past with joy. They actively try to remember the past by repeating the memories over and over again. They tend to be warm, sentimental, friendly and have greater self-esteem. As a rule, they are almost never anxious or depressed and do not tend to be aggressive. They like music, old movies, family gatherings, meetings and group parties. They usually keep objects from the past that have symbolic value to them.

Negative past

Another type of time perspective is ” negative past “. For those who are more oriented towards this perspective, their past tends to be meaningless. They try to get rid of the bad experiences of the past, which they do not recommend to anyone. They usually do not have too many friends, and the few they have describe them as unhappy, depressed, anxious and quite shy. Sometimes they get so frustrated that they lose control and often end up smashing things. They usually do not exercise or do anything fun. They also find it difficult to control impulses. Because of this, they are often involved in gambling.

Hedonistic present

Another perspective on time is the ” hedonistic present” . This type of person is usually more creative and has many friends. They are energetic and they like a little adventure. When they go to a party, they are the ones who stand out and make everyone laugh. They are the life and soul of the party. Their motto is “If you like it, do it”. Because of this, they do not usually keep a job for a very long time. They are too impulsive. They also like to get involved in extreme and dangerous sports.

Fatalistic present

People who tend to fall into the category of ” fatalistic present” often lack self-confidence. This can often make them depressed and anxious. They always look down and are not very lively. Their motto is “what will happen, will happen”. Unfortunately, this type of person is often involved in dangerous practices such as drug use. They believe that their fate has already been decided, and that nothing they do will ever change it.

Future

Other people are more oriented towards the ” future “. They are realists and usually think of things between their immediate benefits and future costs. They are able to reject an immediate gratification for a greater reward in the future.

These people usually have many acquaintances, but not many friends. They are very concerned about consequences and, because of that, they do not like change, surprises or excitement. They always plan everything and make many lists. As a rule, they wear watches, and they seem to spend their lives depending on the other hand. They are careful and avoid unnecessary dangers.

Clear future

Those who are focused on the ” distant future” are usually associated with a religion. These people believe in the afterlife, regularly attend religious services, and perform rites for their religion, whether in private or in public. They usually have good control over impulses. They are not aggressive and they worry about the consequences of their actions.

Which time perspective are you guided by? The creators of these time perspectives (mentioned above) give you the opportunity to find out your perspective by filling out a questionnaire on their website. Why do not you go and fill it out? Be aware, however, that these perspectives on how we perceive time can change over time due to various factors in our lives.