Studies concerning time perception lack a validated assessment tool
and a consensual “gold-standard” measure. Moreover, the
present evidence suggests modification of timing with aging. This study
aimed to develop and validate a neuropsychological tool to measure time
perception and to study temporal perception with aging. Eighty-six
healthy participants, aged 15–90 years old, were asked to
verbally estimate and produce empty intervals signaled by auditory
beeps, of 7-, 32-, and 58-s duration. Two tests were used as
“gold-standards”: estimation of the duration of time
necessary to draw a clock (“clock time”) and estimation of
the duration of neuropsychological evaluation (“global
time”). Results showed a correlation between estimation and
production (p < .01) and a correlation between estimation
or production and “global time” (p < .01). The
correlation between either estimation or production and age (p
< .01), suggested a faster “internal-clock” in the older
participants. However, this finding lost significance when controlled
for literacy. The results suggest that these tests are potentially a
useful tool to measure subjective perception of time. They also
corroborate the hypothesis of a change in subjective time perception
with aging. It was not possible to conclude if this effect was a
specific result of aging or biased by the interference of literacy.
(JINS, 2004, 10, 332–341.)