DeepSummary
The podcast episode begins with a child named Hannah asking why time seems to fly when having fun. Ruth Ogden, a psychology lecturer, explains that when we're excited or having fun, our brain processes time differently - the 'internal stopwatch' speeds up, making time appear to pass more quickly. She also suggests that when engrossed in an enjoyable activity, we don't pay attention to the passage of time.
Anna Weigel then discusses the 'oddball effect,' which describes how unique experiences are more memorable than routine ones. As we get older and encounter fewer novel experiences, time may seem to pass more quickly because familiar events don't stand out as much.
The episode concludes with credits for the production team and a request for donations to support the Brains On podcast network.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- When we're excited or having fun, our brain processes time differently, causing our 'internal stopwatch' to speed up and time to appear to pass more quickly.
- Getting absorbed in enjoyable activities causes us to lose track of time passing, resulting in feeling surprised when a lot of time has elapsed.
- As we get older and experience fewer novel situations, the 'oddball effect' causes time to seem like it's passing more quickly.
- Our perception of time is distinct from our other senses in that we don't have a dedicated 'organ' for experiencing the passage of time.
- The way we subjectively experience the flow of time can be influenced by various psychological factors like emotions and levels of engagement.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “As you get older, it might feel like time is going faster. And that's because of the oddball effect. You'll have fewer new experiences as you get older because more stuff is familiar to you.“ by Anna Weigel
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Episode Information
Moment of Um
American Public Media
6/27/24
Have you ever experienced the term "time flies when you’re having fun"? It’s an unfortunate reality of life that time seems to crawl by when we’re waiting for something to happen, and go too fast when we’re having a blast. We asked Ruth Ogden, a psychologist at John Moores University, why this happens.
Is there a question you’ve been pondering for a minute? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll set aside the time to get it answered.