Philip Zimbardo, professor and phenomenal psychologist, gave a speech on how our personal time zones affect the way we think. The subject and research is so fascinating that I had to watch this video twice (or perhaps it’s because he speaks so fast). The whiteboard story line adds to the wonder of the presentation.
What do you think? Does the personal time zone theory match your personal experience?
If you’v
e never heard of Philip Zimbardo, I suggest you start here to learn about his groundbreaking (and controversial) study called the Stanford Prison Experiment. Listening to Zimbardo speak about good vs. evil will definitely make you re-think your perspective of human nature. He also reminds us to ask critical thinking questions to find the right answer. Sometimes the right question is “what” and not “who.”
Editor’s Note: Breanne Harris is the Solutions Architect for Pearson TalentLens. She works with customers to design selection and development plans that incorporate critical thinking assessments and training. Prior to joining Pearson, her experience included recruiting, training, and HR consulting. She is the chief blogger for Critical Thinkers and occasionally posts at AssessmentBuzz and ThinkWatson. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter for more of her thoughts.
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Taken as a whole, Zimbardo’s research on people’s perception of time is fascinating. I think, though, that it doesn’t necessarily scale down. On a macro level, cultures may have district relationships with time but individuals vary quite a bit in my experience. I’ve known plumbers to think 3 hours late is still on time, and I’ve known lawyers who record their daily lives in minute-by-minute detail – both from the same country and nationality.
Mark- Agreed. I suspect that personality has a significant influence here too.
What happens in China? The whole country has only one time zone. People in the far west get up very early, or do they?