Psychologist Dr. Steve Taylor has spent several years analysing time expansion experiences where time seems to slow down. Photo: Dr. Steve Taylor
For some of us, a day or an hour disappears in the blink of an eye. For others it might feel much longer. Time also seems to speed up as we get older. But why? And how can our perceptions be so different to one another?
Dr Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University. He has spent several years analysing time expansion experiences (or TEEs) - which is when we perceive time as being stretched or slowed down.
Think about it - you might have had a sense of heightened awareness and time slowing in a moment of danger or during a crucial sporting moment - or during meditation. A boring conversation with a coworker might seem to last forever, whereas an exciting film could fly by in seconds.
Dr Steve Taylor's latest book, Time Expansion Experiences: Psychology of Time Perception and the Illusion of Linear Time, shares the fascinating psychology behind time perception and why it is highly flexible and subjective. He speaks to Paddy Gower.
