A five-year-old sees one year as 20% of their life, while a fifty-year-old sees it as just 2%. This change in perspective means that each year feels shorter the older we get. This is called the 'proportional theory' of time perception.

Sources

Fraisse, P. (1984). Perception and estimation of time.

Annual Review of Psychology · 1984

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evidence

Older adults process information more slowly, which may alter their experience of time.

evidence

New and unusual experiences make time feel like it lasts longer.

perspective

Some cultures view time differently from the Western clock-based approach. In cultures where life...

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Why Does Time Feel Like It Speeds Up as We Get Older?

Evidence, perspectives, rabbit holes, and more

As we age, each year is a smaller fraction of our total life, making time feel faster.

Sources