From Keith Macpherson, Clevedon, Somerset, UK
It has always been a supposition of mine that our perception of time has a biological basis. I believe, like Robert Checchio says in his letter, that when engaged in boring activities, clock-watching seems to slow the pace of time. Likewise, excitement makes the clock go faster. Could it be that when we are excited, time “seems to stand still”? This might explain why, during moments of high stress, we perceive everything in much more vivid detail (Letters, 14 February). Could adrenaline be a factor?
Could it be this biological phenomenon that allows trained athletes to perform feats of incredible dexterity because their perception of time slows down accordingly? People involved in accidents often report seeing things happening in slow motion. When highly aroused, we are able to perceive things in much greater detail as our “refresh-rate” of vision increases.
