神译局是36氪旗下编译团队，关注科技、商业、职场、生活等领域，重点介绍国外的新技术、新观点、新风向。 编者按：了解时光流逝背后的心理机制，能让你在一定程度上掌控时间体验。本文来自编译，希望对您有所启发。 关键要点总结 时间渗透于现代生活的每个角落。有时我们渴望加速时光，有时又渴求延缓流逝。日前与家人驾车短途度假时遭遇堵车，导航显示拥堵仅持续十分钟，但车 辆几乎寸步难行。闷热疲惫中，等待煎熬难耐。我凝望前方拥堵尽头，渴望时间能快进到那一刻。然而，当天晚些时候，一到目的地，我就知道时间会飞逝 而过。现在我希望放慢生活的节奏，从未来的宝贵时光中挤出更多时间。 细想之下，日常言谈中处处可见时间作为珍贵资源的印记。我们说自己"时间贫乏"（指没时间做想做的事），或"时间富足"（指年轻时拥有漫长人生）。我 们痛恨那些拖延无聊会议的"时间杀手"，也哀叹自己沉迷手机应用时陷入的"时间黑洞"。若说世人尚存共识，大概就是每日分钟总嫌不足。"若能多些时间 图片来源：Harry Gruyaert/Magnum 这些以及其他关于时间感知与记忆的实验室发现，暗示了人们可以有意识地改变时间感知的方式。然而，当我介绍一些基本方法时，请记住情况 ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the phenomenon of perceived time acceleration due to the brain's processing of information and attention, emphasizing that this is not merely an illusion but a result of how experiences are encoded in the brain [3][4][5]. Group 1: Perception of Time - Time perception is constructed by the brain and is influenced by the novelty and variability of experiences, leading to a feeling that time is passing more quickly as life becomes more predictable [6][8]. - The brain's internal clock and attention mechanisms play a crucial role in how time is perceived, with focused attention leading to a richer experience of time [9][10]. Group 2: Factors Influencing Time Perception - Novelty Effect: New and unexpected experiences engage the brain more, making those moments feel longer in both present and memory [6][7]. - Contextual Change Hypothesis: A greater variety of experiences within a day leads to a perception of longer time, while monotonous routines compress time perception [8]. - Predictability compresses time as the brain becomes less engaged with familiar experiences, leading to a lack of detail retention [10]. Group 3: Strategies to Enhance Time Perception - To extend the perception of time, introducing small changes and new experiences can help the brain register more information, making time feel longer [11][12]. - Engaging the senses and being present in the moment can enhance time perception, as sensory input is closely linked to how time is experienced [12]. - Breaking automatic patterns and creating unique moments can also help in making time feel more expansive [13][14]. Group 4: Attention and Focus - Attention is a limited resource that can be easily fragmented by distractions, leading to a feeling of time being "stolen" during mindless activities like scrolling through social media [17][18]. - The brain's focus can be retrained through deliberate practices that enhance attention and reduce distractions, allowing for a more fulfilling experience of time [20][23][24]. Group 5: Mindfulness and Mental Clarity - Actively managing information intake and allowing for moments of boredom can help reset the brain's expectations and improve focus [26][27]. - Practicing mindfulness and intentional focus on tasks can help in building a more robust attention span, leading to a richer experience of time [28][29].

Core Insights - The article discusses the perception of time and how it feels like it is accelerating due to various cognitive factors, rather than an actual change in time itself [5][6][10]. Group 1: Factors Influencing Time Perception - Novelty Effect: New and unexpected experiences lead to heightened attention and richer memories, making those moments feel longer [7]. - Contextual Change Hypothesis: The brain perceives time based on the number of different events recorded; more changes lead to a longer perceived duration [8]. - Internal Clock and Attention: The brain's internal system records time through pulses, and attention levels affect how many pulses are recorded, influencing time perception [9]. Group 2: Predictability and Time Compression - Predictability compresses time as familiar experiences are stored with fewer details, leading to a feeling of time passing quickly [10]. - Engaging in new experiences can help extend the perception of time by creating memorable moments [11]. Group 3: Strategies to Enhance Time Perception - Reintroducing novelty through small changes can awaken the brain and slow down the perception of time [11]. - Focusing on sensory experiences rather than just cognitive processing can enhance time perception [12]. - Breaking automatic patterns and creating unique moments can help in forming lasting memories [13][14]. Group 4: Attention and Cognitive Load - Attention is a limited resource, and distractions can lead to a fragmented experience of time [17][18]. - The brain's response to stimuli can lead to a preference for more exciting experiences, which can alter the baseline of attention [21]. Group 5: Mindfulness and Focus Training - Practicing mindfulness and reducing high-stimulation inputs can help reset the brain's perception of time [24][25]. - Deliberate training of focus through small, sustained activities can help rebuild the brain's attention capacity [26][27].

Core Idea - The article discusses the perception of time speeding up as individuals age, attributing this phenomenon to the decrease in new and significant experiences that are stored in memory [3][4][5]. Group 1: Perception of Time - As people age, each year represents a smaller fraction of their lives, leading to the feeling that time passes more quickly [3]. - The brain stores memories based on the number of significant events rather than absolute time, causing a perception of time speeding up when fewer new experiences occur [4][5]. Group 2: Importance of New Experiences - New and important events, particularly "firsts," serve as memory anchors that help individuals perceive time as longer [8][9]. - As individuals age, they encounter fewer "firsts," leading to a decline in the number of significant memories and a compressed perception of time [10][11]. Group 3: Strategies to Combat Time Acceleration - Creating more novel experiences can counteract the feeling of time speeding up, as it stimulates the brain and enhances memory retention [15][16]. - Keeping a daily journal can help individuals recognize and remember small, meaningful moments that might otherwise be overlooked [18][19]. - Engaging in challenging tasks can create deeper memories, as the brain is more likely to remember complex and demanding experiences [22][23]. - Immersing oneself in the environment and being mindful can slow down the perception of time, allowing for a richer experience of life [27][28].

Core Insights - The article discusses the perception of time in the human brain, suggesting that it is not reliant on an internal clock but rather on interactions with the environment and behaviors [1][17][39] - David Robbe's research indicates that animals, such as rats, develop motor routines to estimate time, which aligns with Henri Bergson's philosophical concepts of time and memory [17][22][39] Group 1: David Robbe's Research - David Robbe conducts experiments to explore how the striatum in the brain may represent time perception through motor control [17][18] - In a treadmill experiment, rats exhibited superstitious behaviors to estimate time, indicating they do not have a true concept of time but rely on learned motor sequences [18][21] - The findings suggest that animals measure time through actions rather than an internal understanding, contrasting with human time perception [37][39] Group 2: Henri Bergson's Philosophy - Henri Bergson's ideas on time, particularly the concept of "durée," emphasize the qualitative, continuous flow of time as opposed to a quantifiable measure [27][39] - Bergson argues that our misunderstanding of time arises from spatializing it, which aligns with Robbe's findings that rats spatialize their actions to estimate time [22][29] - The article highlights the relevance of Bergson's philosophy in understanding the limitations of scientific approaches to time and consciousness [46][48] Group 3: Implications for Science and AI - The discussion raises questions about the nature of time in artificial intelligence, suggesting that AI lacks the continuous, subjective experience of time that living beings possess [41][42] - The article posits that the understanding of time and memory in neuroscience could benefit from integrating philosophical insights, particularly those of Bergson [46][48] - It emphasizes the need for a cross-disciplinary approach to explore the complexities of time perception and consciousness [48]