The effect of aging and emotions on time processing

Background: Time perception is an automatic process that can be influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the effect of age and emotions on the ability to keep track of short suprasecond intervals. Methods: Younger adults (N = 108, age range: 18–35) and older adults (N = 51, age range: 65–87) were asked to reproduce, bisect, or double the duration of facial stimuli randomly presented for 1500, 3000, and 4500 ms. The experiment included facial stimuli with positive, negative, or neutral expressions. Results: The participants across age correctly reproduced intervals but overestimated and underestimated them when asked to bisect and double the intervals, respectively. Overall, when faces were presented with a positive or negative expression, an overestimation of time intervals emerged compared to faces with neutral expressions. Emotions had a greater effect on older adults, who showed a greater overestimation of positive facial expressions and an underestimation of sad, but not angry, facial expressions. Discussion: The results provide evidence that time perception is influenced by age and emotions, with older adults showing a greater effect of emotions on time processing. Conclusion: The study suggests an interaction among time processing, age, and emotions, highlighting an automatic relationship among these domains, often considered independent.