Abstract
Step‐path theory of action is used to conceptualize future orientation (FO) as anticipated path characteristics and to derive its function. Study 1 finds that stories written to FO sentences are significantly higher on n Achievement when referring to a young person, while stories written to past orientation sentences tend toward higher scores when referring to an old person. Study 2 finds that extremes on chronological age tend to accentuate these trends. Study 3 supports the “multiplicative rule” for the combination of subjective probabilities of success (Ps) along a contingent path for group data. Individual data show that the predicted accentuation of achievement motivation is mediated by a decrease in path length for nonmultipliers of Ps (time FO), and by an increase in path length for multipliers of Ps (task FO). Path Ps also influences the effects of time and task FO.
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