Brain Tracks Time

According to Michael N. Shadlen, principal investigator at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute, has pointed out that portions of the brain that involve thought and cognitive function (e.g., planning, and executive control) can keep track and control of time. “Everything we do has to be controlled in time, otherwise we’d be simple creatures that react in the moment.” When it comes to time perception, emotions play a part. “People assign an emotional valence to every experience, including the passage of time. We color our experiences in ways that reflect our enjoyment or repulsion,” Shadlen said. For example, if you enjoy going to a concert or playing in a basketball game, you might wish they had lasted longer. On the flip side, if you dislike these events, you might feel like they took too long, or that time dragged by if not stood still altogether.