Tempo Perception

[Ktari]

Hey! So, you know how during a performance, you're so nervous that you totally rush through your piece? (Or maybe it was just me ^^) Well my teacher told me several years ago that it was because your hearbeat quickens when you're nervous (makes sense) and that humans perceive tempo (and memorize tempo) relative to their own heartbeat. I never read anything about this, and wanted to research it but had no idea what category it would go under! (psychology? music? biology?) Anyway, has anyone else heard of this, or has any information about this? I had planned an experiment with people trying to tap out a pre-memorized tempo before and after excercising, and judging a tempo on a "fastness" scale before and after excercising (quicker heartbeat) but never actually did it, hehe.. anyway, curious, so throwing this out there!!

[allchopin]

I dunno this seems like a crock of ....
I think when youre onstage and your heart beat quickens, it induces your body more to "run" on adrenaline, and therefore strengthens you and makes you faster.  the heartbeat is just a side effect of this.  Plus another smaller reason of speeding up might be that you think that the audience might be getting bored and they need the song to speed up or theyre just gonna get up and leave!  I have always had this problem.  If i dont impress them with speed, i cant at all.  but this isnt true  .  Im interested to see the results of your test- get percussionists to do this (mostly to prove me right)  
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[pogo]

Well my teacher told me several years ago that it was because your hearbeat quickens when you're nervous (makes sense) and that humans perceive tempo (and memorize tempo) relative to their own heartbeat. I never read anything about this, and wanted to research it but had no idea what category it would go under! (psychology? music? biology?)

Yes, cognitive musicology, experimental psychology etc.
I recommend you to start with
Paul Fraisse / Rhythm and Tempo / in: The Psychology of Music / Diana Deutsch ed. / 1982
and then continue with David Epstein / Shaping Time / 1995

[ted]

I am sure no correlation exists between my heart rate and my playing speed. I never perform and I am never nervous while playing so perhaps that has something to do with it.