How Do Individual Differences in Circadian Rhythms Influence Time Perception?
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 招募中
- 入组人数
- 128
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Time estimation bias
研究概览
简要总结
This study examines how a person's natural daily rhythm ("chronotype") affects the way time is experienced and judged. Healthy Danish-speaking adults (23-45 years) who are clearly morning-type or evening-type will complete two lab sessions in a crossover design: one at their preferred time of day (e.g., morning for morning-types) and one at the opposite time (misaligned). In each session, participants do brief computerized tasks that measure time estimation/production, vigilance (psychomotor vigilance task), decision-making, and responses to social information, plus simple color-vision tasks. Short questionnaires about sleepiness, mood, fatigue, and the subjective "passage of time" are collected before, during, and after testing. A subset will wear a wrist actigraphy device for one week beforehand to characterize sleep-wake patterns.
Testing is conducted under standardized lab conditions with scheduled breaks. The main goal is to determine whether time judgments and vigilance are less accurate during the misaligned session and whether decision-making and social responses also vary with circadian timing. Risks are minimal and mainly relate to temporary tiredness when tested at a non-preferred time; participants may stop at any time. Participation is voluntary. Data are pseudonymized and handled under GDPR. Participants receive DKK 300 after completing both sessions (pro-rated if they withdraw early). Results will be published regardless of outcome, and de-identified data/code will be shared after publication.This study examines how a person's natural daily rhythm ("chronotype") affects the way time is experienced and judged. Healthy Danish-speaking adults (23-45 years) who are clearly morning-type or evening-type will complete two lab sessions in a crossover design: one at their preferred time of day (e.g., morning for morning-types) and one at the opposite time (misaligned). In each session, participants do brief computerized tasks that measure time estimation/production, vigilance (psychomotor vigilance task), decision-making, and responses to social information, plus simple color-vision tasks. Short questionnaires about sleepiness, mood, fatigue, and the subjective "passage of time" are collected before, during, and after testing. A subset will wear a wrist actigraphy device for one week beforehand to characterize sleep-wake patterns.
Testing is conducted under standardized lab conditions with scheduled breaks. The main goal is to determine whether time judgments and vigilance are less accurate during the misaligned session and whether decision-making and social responses also vary with circadian timing. Risks are minimal and mainly relate to temporary tiredness when tested at a non-preferred time; participants may stop at any time. Participation is voluntary. Data are pseudonymized and handled under GDPR. Participants receive DKK 300 after completing both sessions (pro-rated if they withdraw early). Results will be published regardless of outcome, and de-identified data/code will be shared after publication.
详细描述
Background/Rationale. Circadian rhythms vary across individuals (chronotypes) and can be misaligned with social schedules. Both circadian timing and time perception influence cognition and behavior, yet within-person effects of circadian alignment on temporal judgments and related functions are not well characterized.
Objectives/Hypotheses. Primary: test whether circadian misalignment (testing at a non-preferred time) increases time-estimation/production bias and reduces vigilance versus aligned testing. Secondary: assess effects on temporal variability, duration discrimination, decision-making strategies, social conformity, and simple color-perception measures (white-point/unique-hue).
Design. Randomized, two-condition crossover trial with within-subject comparison of circadian-congruent vs incongruent sessions (order counterbalanced). Sessions occur on the same day (morning and evening) with a substantial break; no visible clocks; caffeine/exercise restrictions prior to testing. A subset (n≈60) completes 7-day actigraphy and sleep diary.
Participants. Healthy adults, 23-45 years, Danish-speaking, clear morning or evening chronotype (MEQ/MCTQ). Key exclusions: shift work, recent trans-meridian travel, sleep/neurologic/psychiatric disorders, medications affecting sleep/cognition, intermediate chronotype.
Intervention. Behavioral manipulation of testing time relative to chronotype (congruent vs incongruent) in a crossover design.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Crossover
- 主要目的
- Basic Science
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 23 Years 至 45 Years（Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Aged 23 to 45 years
- •Able to understand and communicate in Danish
- •Completed at least upper secondary education (e.g., gymnasium)
- •Categorized as either a Morning Type (MT) or Evening Type (ET) based on standardized chronotype assessments:
- •Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ):
- •MT: sleep midpoint on free days (MSFsc) ≤ 03:00
- •ET: sleep midpoint on free days (MSFsc) ≥ 05:00
- •Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ):
- •One of four defined chronotype categories (definitely morning, moderately morning, moderately evening, definitely evening).
排除标准
- •Current engagement in shift work, rotating schedules, or other forms of irregular sleep-wake timing
- •Diagnosis of any neurological, psychiatric, or sleep-related disorder (e.g., insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea)
- •Use of medications that affect sleep, alertness, or circadian functioning (e.g., melatonin, stimulants, antidepressants)
- •International travel across time zones within the four weeks preceding study participation
- •Are classified as having an intermediate chronotype based on validated chronotype assessments (MCTQ or MEQ), as this group does not provide the necessary contrast to evaluate circadian alignment effects.
结局指标
主要结局
Time estimation bias
时间窗: Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening)
Signed percent error across 10, 30, and 60 s trials with a fixation cross: ((estimated - target)/target) × 100. Three trials per duration; session-level mean computed. Primary contrast: incongruent - congruent (within-subject). Higher values = overestimation.
次要结局
- Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) lapses (count)(Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening))
- Time production bias (neutral stimuli, 10-60 s)(Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening))
- Duration discrimination threshold (2AFC adaptive)(Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening))
- Subjective passage-of-time rating (VAS 0-100)(Day 1 (pre-, mid-, and post-session ratings during each of the two laboratory sessions))
- Decision-making exploration rate (%) - Alien Game(Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening))
- Social conformity effect (% shifts toward majority)(Day 1 (once during each of the two laboratory sessions: morning and evening))