The psychological phenomenon of the "holiday paradox," the anticipation and pressure for a perfect vacation, makes many people feel like time flies by faster.
Summer holidays, National Day, and Lunar New Year often fly by in the blink of an eye. This leaves many feeling regretful and more tired when they have to return to school or work. According to experts, people's perception of time makes holidays seem shorter than working days. This phenomenon is called the "holiday paradox."
This term was used by Professor Claudia Hammond, a psychology lecturer at the University of Sussex, England, to describe the feeling of inconsistency between two equal periods of time. Before and during a holiday, people use a prospective vantage point to evaluate each passing day. After the holiday, they use a retrospective vantage point. These two perspectives differ significantly in terms of time.
According to research published in Scientific American in 2016, the perception of expectations tends to change rapidly, especially with joyful memories that are different from everyday life. Joshua Klapow, associate professor of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says many people have a habit of "cramming" many activities into their holidays. They "pack" social activities that would normally take weeks or months into just a few days. These experiences make every hour fly by.
A person is on vacation at the beach. Photo: Freepik
A study published in the journal Cognitive Science in 2012 called this perspective a "time machine in the mind," influencing how each person perceives the speed of time.
The second reason why holidays fly by is psychological pressure. According to Associate Professor Klapow, months before the holidays, retailers intentionally promote and market the holiday season, building anticipation among customers to stimulate demand. In the US, this is especially common before Christmas. Many brands count down several months, creating pressure that makes people feel the holidays pass quickly.
The expectations surrounding the holiday also make people feel like time is fleeting.
"We often expect too much. We want to have fun, we want everything to go smoothly, something different from everyday life. When you set such expectations for a few specific days, they fly by," said Associate Professor Klapow, adding that if you rush to experience a fantastic vacation, things will happen at a dizzying pace.
Thuc Linh (According to Bustle )
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