Developmental Study on Time Perception in 7-12 Year-old Children and the Corresponding Role of Attention

Several studies have shown that many factors influence the perceived time intervals. This study aimed to investigate the developmental changes in time-perception among children (7-12 years old) and to determine the role of attention in time perception.
One hundred-twenty elementary students were selected from Rasht schools (first to sixth grade) through multilevel cluster-sampling method. Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and time reproduction task were used to collect data. Results were analyzed using MANOVA and MANCOVA.
In short-time task, there was no significant difference in grade groups whereas a significant difference was observed in long-time task. In other words, reproduced long-time intervals approached to the standard time indicating that long-time perception (but not short-time perception) is possibly improved by age. Attention indices including correct responses, false alarm responses, omission errors, reaction time and variability were entered as covariant variables in an ANCOVA. No significant differences were found between long-time task and grade groups.
Findings of the present study indicate that reproduced time approaches to the physical time with increasing age improves the ability to control of attention improving long-time perception in children.