The sentiment expressed by many about the “length” of May this year is not limited to this particular month; Indeed, some people generally experience in different months of the year the length of a month and others do not, and this is closely related to a set of variables that the month can witness, whether at the level public or private for individuals, as well as with regards to changing seasons as well and various other reasons.
A group of psychological factors that cause this feeling overlap, whether it is the feeling of a long month or even its shortness and the rapid passage of days, which makes the individual feel l feeling that the days pass faster or slower than usual depending on these factors, without knowing the reason for this feeling and to what extent it is directly related to these factors.
In statements exclusive to “Sky News Arabia”, Albert Skip Rizzo, research professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California, identifies 6 main factors that can contribute to the perception of time a person, including psychological experiences, as follows:
1. The actual number of days (the number of days is actually longer, like the seven months that contain 31 days).
2. Activity levels (the amount of activity the individual does over the month and its relationship to time perception).
3. Emotional state (positive and negative emotions and their impact on the perception of time).
4. Seasonal effects (length and shortness of day between winter and summer.
5. Modernity (new experiences for people and their connection to the perception of time).
6. Anticipation and anticipation (something will happen in the future that will slow down the days.
In more detail, the behavioral science academic explains to ‘Sky News Arabia’ each of these factors separately, and how it affects the feeling that the days pass quickly or slowly depending on the psychological state of the individuals, as well as the extent to which work pressures and actual activity levels affect the perception of the nature of movement.
First: the actual number of days
Rizzo explains the first and “simplest” of these factors in the “literal sense” of day length; Because some months are indeed longer than others; The month of February, 28 days (29 days in a leap year), is the shortest of all the months of the year, while the other months contain 30 or 31 days. This difference, of course, can make the month seem longer or shorter depending on the number of days.
There are 7 months containing 31 days (January, March, May, July, August, October and December), it is obvious that the individual feels that these are the longest months in terms of the number of actual days compared to the rest of the months, and this is the direct and simplest factor for the question of the perception of time in this context.
Second: activity levels
The second of these factors is related to “activity levels”; Indeed, “the perception of time can be affected by the degree of occupation or activity of a person”; A month full of activities, events and work can make you feel longer. Because it contains more memories and experiences. On the contrary, it may seem that a month when a person has little to do, activity and successive events passes faster than usual.
Third: the emotional state
According to an academic specializing in behavioral sciences, people’s emotional states can also affect their perception of time. If a person is going through a difficult time (which affects them emotionally and psychologically), it may seem like time is stretching out, making the month seem longer than other months. On the other hand, it may seem like a month full of joy and positivity flies by.
Fourth: seasonal effects
A professor-researcher in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California adds to the three factors mentioned a fourth factor, which is “seasonal effects”, because the seasons can also have an effect on the perception of the time.
He says that in the winter months it can feel longer due to shorter daylight hours and time spent indoors due to cold weather. Conversely, the summer months can feel shorter due to longer daylight hours and more outdoor activities, which can make the day go by faster.
It may depend on the person and the extent of their activity during these seasons.
Fifth: Developments (new experiences)
In Rizzo’s analysis, new experiences and environments can make time feel like it’s slowing down. Therefore, if the month has been filled with many new experiences or changes, it may feel longer than other months.
An example of clarification: the individual lives a new work experience in a different environment, which can cause him to feel the passage of time and the passage of days slowly until the end of the first month, until familiarize him with the new situation and get used to it.
Sixth: waiting or waiting
Regarding the sixth factor, “expectation and expectation”, the research professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California says: “If you are looking forward to something in the future, you often have the impression that the time before is getting longer.”
He adds: “An example in my area of expertise involves a phenomenon called ‘time pressure’ where, for example, breast cancer patients who used virtual reality to distract themselves during chemotherapy injections under estimated the time they spent in the injection room.
Therefore, someone given a chemical injection for 78 minutes might report that they estimated the time to be only 43 minutes on average.
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