Chronotype and time-of-day test of time perception in morning and evening types
Official title: Circadian Match and Mismatch Effects on Temporal Cognition in Morning- and Evening-Type Adults
Run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · NCT07677111 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether matching a person’s chronotype (morning or evening) with the testing time (morning or evening) changes how accurately they perceive time.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 240 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hong Kong) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2028 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | June 30, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07677111 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults aged 18-40 who are clearly morning-type or evening-type and can attend early-morning and late-evening sessions at one of the three sites.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with intermediate chronotype, sleep disorders, psychiatric/neurological conditions, recent shift work, or color-vision deficiencies may not benefit from or participate in the study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Healthy adults classified as morning-type or evening-type complete the same set of time-perception tasks twice, once in the morning and once in the evening, across three international sites. The design examines whether a circadian-timed match (synchrony) improves time-perception accuracy compared with a mismatch, using a 2x2 mixed design replicated at each site. Secondary outcomes include timing precision, subjective passage of time, sleepiness, mood, color vision with and without blue-blocking glasses, and perceptual decision-making. Participants are screened for chronotype, sleep quality, and vision, and attend two laboratory sessions with standardized measures. The study aims to assess generalisability of the synchrony effect across cultures and locations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform how time-of-day affects cognitive timing and everyday perception, potentially guiding scheduling for tasks requiring precise time judgments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown a synchrony effect in some populations, but cross-cultural replication across three sites is novel and its consistency is still being explored.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy adult, 18-40 years * Clear morning-type or evening-type on the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-SA); intermediate types excluded (state exact cut-offs, e.g. evening-type 41 or below, morning-type 59 or above) * Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity * Normal colour vision (e.g. Ishihara screening) * Fluent in the testing-site language (Danish, Chinese, or English) * Able to attend both an early-morning (about 08:00) and a late-evening (about 22:00) session Exclusion Criteria: * Intermediate chronotype (MEQ in the middle band) * Night or rotating shift work in the past 3 months, or recent trans-meridian travel (more than 2 time zones in the past 4 weeks) * Diagnosed sleep disorder (e.g. insomnia, sleep apnoea) * Current psychiatric or neurological disorder * Use of sleep medication or psychoactive or CNS-active drugs * Colour-vision deficiency * Substance-use disorder
Where it's running
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Child Development Centre
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Cehao Yu, PhD
- Email: cehao.yu@polyu.edu.hk
- Phone: +852 61570422
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.