A new study has revealed that actual clock ticking sound can quite literally speed up a women's biological clock.
It was found that the subtle sound of a ticking clock could lead women to want to start a family at an earlier age, especially if she was raised in a lower socio-economic community.
Reproductive timing refers to the time frame and the specific years during which people begin to focus their energy and resources towards bearing and caring for their offspring. Some researchers reason that when and how this happens was greatly influenced by a person's childhood years, his or her socio-economic background, and other subtle environmental factors.
The findings suggested that priming the idea of the passage of time through the sound of a ticking clock could influence various aspects of women's reproductive timing. The effect was especially noticeable among women who grew up in lower socio-economic communities. They wanted to get married and have their first child at a younger age than women with more resources. They also lowered the priority that they placed on men's social status and long-term earning potential.
However, the effect of the clock did not do the same for men because men are able to father children well into their old age. Their reproductive lives are therefore not as limited as that of women.
The research is published in Springer's journal Human Nature.