Human perception of time, changing?

**awisler** · February 19, 2008, 09:22 PM

I know I have read that during times where a human is in a high stress moment or high adrenaline moment, their perception of time changes. Personally this has happened to me, but ill get to that later.

I read last year for biology that scientists tested many people with a small screen that flashed many numbers very quickly. The people could only remember a few numbers at most. The numbers did change each time. They then took the people with bungee cords, and as they dropped, the screen followed them. The people were able to remember a significantly larger amount of numbers, making scientists think that perception of time changes during moments such as falling a great distance.

I was once in a car accident in which this occurred to me. I was in the back seat of a suburban, my mom and sister in front. A car cut us off in the parking lot, we were going roughly 15mph. My mom turned and we ended up hitting a pole. My mom and sister didnt noticed the pole, which was about 3 feet tall, as they had just been cut off and were looking at the other car. I saw the pole, and although we were probably 5 feet from it, I felt like I had literally 5 minutes to scream out "Watch out," but I just couldnt because in reality I had less than a second. It was honestly like a super slow mo that you can use in games.

So anyone have any knowledge on this phenomenon?

**Chaigidel** · February 19, 2008, 10:30 PM

adrenaline --- your senses are pushed to the limit when your terrified or you feel you could die, so your brain goes on overdrive in awareness, in perception, so it seems things slow down I suppose

**Sidmen** · February 20, 2008, 01:47 AM

It does, try slipping on some ice in a car, you'll quickly notice that you can drive through someone's yard easily at 30MPH that you never could've if you didn't think of death every second.

**boofhead** · February 20, 2008, 02:51 AM

It happens every time you get scared for your life or afraid of serious injury. Your brain peaks almost instantly and you are more alert, faster, more focussed, more aware and able to respond effectively etc.

**Ummagumma** · February 20, 2008, 01:44 PM

Though, it has been argued that time does not actually slow during those events, but due to the extra sensitivity and awareness it is the (quite vivid) memory of the event in which time actually seems to slow. The event happened as it does, but thinking back on it it seems to have taken longer as you have all this extra stimulus to process in recalling the event.

**Chaigidel** · February 20, 2008, 08:24 PM

I dont think time is actually slowing down by any stretch, just as you said a prolonged memory because of sensory input taken down at the hightened state, like taking film from a highspeed camera, takes just as long but uses more film.

**Nellup** · February 22, 2008, 02:52 PM

Quick question: does time seeming to slow down actually confer any survival advantage to us? On one hand, it may give us longer to react, except our reactions seem to take forever when we are in a high adrenaline situation, but on the other hand, why would we need to have things so slow?

**The10thLegion** · February 28, 2008, 08:24 PM

One time my foot was ran over by a car and time was so slow and i didnt feel anything. I must of blacked out though because i just remember being on the ground.

**Dunecat** · March 12, 2008, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by the tenth legion

One time my foot was ran over by a car and time was so slow and i didnt feel anything. I must of blacked out though because i just remember being on the ground.

I flipped headfirst over my bike when I was a kid, caught myself with my face. All I remember is my mum rushing me up to our trailer (yes trailer... we were living with my great grandma... yes, we were living with my grandma...), and my dad opening the screen (yes screen...) and then....

That's it. I mean, I remember before, weaving in and out of puddles with my new bike, and that, but that's it.

:hmmm:

**DefenderofFreedom** · March 07, 2008, 07:47 PM

Anyone think that time seems to be moving faster overall? This year is going by really fast...

**Ummagumma** · March 16, 2008, 03:10 AM

Originally Posted by DefenderofFreedom

Anyone think that time seems to be moving faster overall? This year is going by really fast...

Although this sounds like a proper cliché, they keep on getting 'faster' as you get older. I suppose it's because each year is a smaller proportion of your life, or something similar.