tidsfølelse

Tidsfølelse, or sense of time, is the subjective experience of time passing and the ability to perceive and anticipate temporal aspects of events. It includes estimating durations, judging the order of events, recognizing rhythmic patterns, and predicting when something will occur.

Neuroscientific research points to several interacting brain networks. The basal ganglia and cerebellum are central for interval timing, while parietal and prefrontal cortices support attention, working memory, and the encoding of temporal information. Dopaminergic signaling in the striatum is thought to influence the speed of an internal clock. The dominant theoretical framework is Scalar Timing Theory, featuring a pacemaker-accumulator mechanism and an attentional gate; arousal and attention can speed up or slow down perceived time.

Development and individual differences play a significant role. Time perception develops in childhood and improves with experience, but it also changes with aging. People vary in precision and in how they experience short versus long intervals. Certain conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia, can alter time perception, sometimes producing distortions in duration estimation or temporal ordering.

Assessment methods include tasks such as time estimation, time production, duration discrimination, and temporal-order judgments, as well as experiments that measure temporal expectancy. These tools help study sensory processing, attention, and memory, and have clinical relevance for assessing and monitoring conditions that affect timing.

Influences and contexts include sleep deprivation, fatigue, emotion, and drugs (stimulants and sedatives) that can alter timing. Cultural and situational factors can also shape subjective time. Applications span clinical assessment, neuropsychology, ergonomics, and human factors design.