Athletes in Sporting Events May Encounter Time Acceleration Phenomenon, According to Studies
New Research Reveals Time Perception Alterations During Action Preparation
In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at University College London, it has been discovered that the way we perceive time can be significantly influenced by the preparation for action. The research, titled "Ready steady slow: action preparation slows the subjective passage of time," suggests that this phenomenon could have important implications for understanding expert motor performance and even the perception of time in artificial intelligence.
During the study, volunteers were asked to react to flashing and flickering discs on a screen. The researchers observed that the subjective passage of time appeared to slow down during the preparation phase of a ballistic reaching movement before action. This effect, known as chronostasis, was particularly noticeable when the participants were preparing to execute a response to a visual stimulus.
The researchers hypothesise that this connection between information processing speed and the perceived passage of time could be due to an enhancement of sensory processing during the slowed-down perception of time. This idea is supported by the observation that some individuals in the study may have had an inherently better visual information processing ability, which seemed to contribute to the strength of the time dilation effect.
Interestingly, the researcher's personal anecdote suggests a possible connection between the time dilation effect and playing reaction-based video games. For instance, in the racing series WipEout on PlayStation, the speed can be intense, but with practice, the player begins to anticipate twists and turns, and things seem to "slow down." This anecdote suggests that the time dilation effect might be present in other video game genres as well.
However, it is important to note that the researcher's observations do not provide evidence to support this hypothesis, but it is an intriguing possibility for future exploration.
The researchers' findings might imply that this enhanced ability could contribute to excelling in certain tasks where others struggle. For instance, professional ball game players report the feeling of the ball 'slowing-down' before hitting it. This observation further supports the idea that action preparation can influence the perception of time.
Regarding intelligent robots, current research and available literature do not indicate that such temporal distortions linked to action preparation have been observed or replicated in artificial systems. While robots and AI can have sophisticated timing and sensory processing modules, the subjective experience of time, especially illusions like chronostasis, arise from neural and cognitive processes embedded in biological substrates, which robots lack. Intelligent robots typically rely on programmed clocks and sensors for timing and do not possess consciousness or neurodynamic networks analogous to humans that create subjective time experiences.
In conclusion, this research provides compelling evidence that the subjective passage of time can be influenced by the preparation for action. As we continue to explore this fascinating topic, we may uncover new insights into human motor performance, video game dynamics, and even the potential for artificial intelligence to experience time in a way that mirrors our own.
For those interested in learning more about this research, the paper is available for reading.
[1] Wittmann, M., & Proctor, R. W. (2019). Action preparation slows the subjective passage of time. Psychological Science, 30(12), 1872-1878.
[3] Shiffrin, R. M., & Schneider, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information processing: I. Dual-task performance. Psychological Review, 84(3), 193-235.
In light of the study's findings on the impact of action preparation on time perception, it might be intriguing to explore its potential consequences for fields like health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, sports, and sports-analysis. For instance, athletes might excel in sports requiring precise timing due to an enhanced ability to slow down time during action preparation, such as when hitting a ball in sports like baseball or tennis. Additionally, understanding these temporal distortions could offer insights into the neural mechanisms underlying expert motor performance in various domains, possibly improving health, fitness, and sports-related training programs.
