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Duration neglect is a cognitive bias where the duration of an emotional experience has little impact on the overall retrospective evaluation of the event. Instead, the evaluation is disproportionately influenced by the peak (most extreme moment) and the end (final moment) of the experience.
Humans tend to simplify the complex nature of their memories by focusing on key emotional moments rather than the entire experience. This bias emerges because cognitive resources are limited, making it easier to summarize experiences based on notable peaks and conclusions rather than the full duration.
Duration neglect can lead to inaccurate assessments of past events, potentially influencing future decision-making. For example, individuals might choose shorter but more intense positive experiences over longer, more subtly enjoyable ones.
To counteract duration neglect, individuals can practice mindfulness and actively reflect on the entire experience rather than just its highlights. Furthermore, recording emotions and thoughts at multiple stages during an event can aid in creating a more balanced memory.
Some researchers argue that the importance of the length of an experience can vary significantly across different event types and individuals, suggesting that duration neglect may not always hold universally. Others highlight the need for further empirical evidence to understand its boundary conditions.
Time and the self: How the experiences of the temporally extended self impact cognition
Fredrickson, B. & Kahneman, D. (1993)
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Remembered happiness as a built-in episodic feature of emotional memory
Redelmeier, D. & Kahneman, D. (1996)
Journal of Experimental Psychology