Does time fly when you engage more? Effort intensity moderates the relationship between affect and time perception

Abstract

The present study examined the hypothesis that effort intensity moderates the relationship between affect and time perception by employing more academic-related tasks and conditions. Two experiments were conducted to address the question. In Experiment 1, 139 adults (68 women; Mage = 23.7, SD = 3.2) were randomly assigned to one of six conditions (2 [time estimation paradigm] × 3 [task nature]) and worked on a computerized task for 6 minutes. In Experiment 2, 73 participants (35 women; Mage = 26.1, SD = 4.3) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (2 ([time estimation paradigm] × 2 [task nature]) and completed both tasks for 6 minutes. Multiple moderator models were used to analyze multiple factors simultaneously in the data analysis for each experiment. Across two experiments, multiple moderator models revealed that a) enjoyment of the task was essential to perceive time passing faster regardless of different tasks and the effort level and b) the relationship between task enjoyment and the perceived speed of time was moderated by perceived effort. The findings of the study indicate that task nature and the effort level should be considered simultaneously to understand the relationship between task enjoyment and time perception in the ecologically valid situation.