Present Time Perspective Research Articles

Snacking now or later? Individual differences in following intentions or habits explained by time perspective

Even when individuals are aware of long-term health effects of their diet, and form healthy intentions, they often engage in relatively unhealthy snacking habits. Some individuals fall back on unhealthy habits more easily than others. We aim to explore whether time perspective can explain why some individuals are more prone to rely on habits and others on intentions. Study 1 (N = 1503) provides a first exploration of the role of time perspective by exploring individual differences in perception of long-term and short-term consequences. In accordance with our hypotheses, Study 1 shows that habits are associated with short-term consequences and intentions with long-term consequences. Study 2 (N = 1497) shows that the effects of habits on snacking behaviour are strengthened by a present time perspective, whereas the effects of intentions on snacking behaviour are strengthened by a future time perspective. These findings imply that there is a fundamental difference in the guiding function of intentions and habits which might explain individual differences in following intentions versus habits. Individuals with a long-term perspective are more inclined to follow intentions and individuals with a short-term perspective are more inclined to follow habits.

Links between personality, time perspective, and intention to practice physical activity during cancer treatment: an exploratory study.

The purpose of the study was to analyze links between personality, time perspective, and intention to practice physical activity during cancer treatment. One hundred forty-three patients participated in survey by questionnaire. Intention to practice physical activity, time perspective using Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, and personality with the Big Five Inventory were measured. Structural equation models using Lisrel were developed to examine hypothetical links between the variables. The adjusted model evidenced an excellent fit (comparative fit index=0.92; root-mean-square error of approximation=0.076; P=.014). Results showed that intention to practice exercise was positively linked with openness to experience and negatively with present fatalist time perspective. Moreover, conscientiousness and neuroticism were found to be linked with future time perspective, which was positively related with intention to practice physical activity. The present exploratory study with patients suffering from cancer underlined the importance of considering jointly time perspective dimensions and personality factors for health behavior recommendations. Based on our results, we propose some reflections on practice to help nurses and physicians increase patient's motivation to be physically active. Taking into account patients' personality and time perspective, we would be able to propose specific awareness messages and offer short interventions to have an impact on patients' motivation to practice.

Effects of the Time Perspectives on Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is in the process of becoming a gigantic disaster for the whole so called “fancy world” and so are the rates of abuse mounting in India. It has become aperil for human existence. Print media and electronic media frequently report substance abuse and their consequences. It has been reported that Drug abuse has become a grave problem and also point out exponential growth of drug abuse amongst the youth of our country. Purposely participants (N=68) were drawn. Primarily administered ZTPI (Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory) on some participants who involve in drug abuse and some who don’t, of which only 49 participants were selected who had a present or future time perspective orientation. The second thing this study tries to analyse is whether time perspectives and time zones which general people follow play a role in substance abuse. Results reveal that people identified as having a more present time perspective (PTP) are more likely to be report using drugs whereas people identified as having a more orientation towards the future time perspective (FTP) was negatively related to the reported substance abuse.

The Role of Present Time Perspective in Predicting Early Adolescent Violence.

This study investigated the role of present and future time perspectives, and their relationships with subjective norms and beliefs regarding violence, in predicting violent behaviors among urban middle school students in the Midwestern United States. Although present time perspective covaried with subjective norms and beliefs, each made a unique prediction of self-reported violent behaviors. Future time perspective was not a significant predictor when accounting for these relationships. In addition, present orientation moderated the relationship between subjective norms and beliefs and rates of violent behaviors; those with higher present orientations exhibited stronger associations. We replicated this pattern of results in data from new participants in a subsequent wave of the study. Interventions that explicitly address issues related to time perspective may be effective in reducing early adolescent violence.

Predictive Analysis of Hip-hop Dancers’ Motivation for Choreographing from Choreography Components (Body-Thinking-Space-Time)

This study aimed to examine several variables to predict motivation in creating dance choreography, i.e. sense of embodiment, integrative thinking, object and spatial imagery, as well as two types of time perspective (Present Hedonistic and Future). The participants of this study were 34 female Hip-hop dancers and 31 male Hip-hop dancers (n = 65, Mage = 21.08 years old, SDage = 1.674 years old) in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, recruited via convenience sampling. Data were obtained through psychological scales and were analyzed using a multiple linear regression analysis. Results showedthat (1) the adaptive behavior dimension of motivation could be predicted from the sense of embodiment, object and spatial imagery, and time perspective of future and present hedonistic; (2) the adaptive cognition dimension could be predicted from the object and spatial imagery; (3) the maladaptive behavior dimension could be predicted from the object and spatial imagery and present hedonistic time perspective; and (4) the maladaptive cognition dimension could be predicted from integrative thinking, spatial imagery, and present hedonistic time perspective.

Do perceptions of time affect outbound-travel motivations and intention? An investigation among Chinese seniors

How people conceptualise time can play a critical role in their travel intention. However, relatively little research attention has been directed to the links between time perspective, outbound-travel motivation and outbound-travel intention. In this study, survey data from a sample of Chinese seniors were analysed to test hypotheses regarding these links. The results showed that present-time perspective and future-time perspective were directly related to travel motivation, and that the associations between present and future perspectives and travel intention were fully mediated by travel motivation. These findings not only highlight the relevance of time-perspective styles to travel research, but also have specific implications for tourism-destination marketers with senior audiences.

Exposure to Risk Factors and the Subjective Wellbeing of Adolescents: the Mediating Role of Time Perspective

This study examined the subjective wellbeing (SWB) and time perspectives (the psychological concepts of past, present, and future) of 460 Israeli adolescents aged 14 to 16, with high versus low exposure to socioeconomic, demographic, and familial risk factors. Participants completed questionnaire measures on time perspectives, life satisfaction, and positive and negative emotions. The results indicated that although adolescents at high risk reported less life satisfaction, no differences were found for positive emotions and negative emotion between the two groups. High risk adolescents scored significantly higher on past negative, present fatalistic, and present hedonistic time perspectives and their overall time perspective profiles were more imbalanced than their low risk peers. Structural equation modeling with bootstrap analysis confirmed that the hypothesized indirect link between risk status and poor SWB was mediated by an imbalanced time perspective profile. The findings suggest that the time perspective profile may shed light on why and how exposure to risk factors is associated with having a lower SWB in adolescence. Future studies and interventions should thus examine the ways in which a change in adolescents’ time perspective can improve their SWB.

Positive Time: Balanced Time Perspective and Positive Orientation

The aim of the research presented in this article is to investigate the relationship between positive orientation and time perspective as outlined by Zimbardo and Boyd (J Pers Soc Psychol 77:1271–1288, 1999) and extended by an additional form of concentration on the present. The Polish version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory was used. A third type of present time perspective, namely active concentration on the present, was measured by the Carpe Diem Scale. One hundred and eighty five Polish people (non-students) participated in a survey to which a canonical-correlation analysis and a cluster analysis were applied. Positive orientation was correlated with a balanced temporal profile comprising a strong positive past orientation, moderate concentration on the future, poor fatalistic time perspective, poor concentration on the negative past and moderate active concentration on the present. Whereas a positive orientation is based on a general positive attitude towards life and self, a balanced time perspective reflects a general positive attitude towards time, in which an active concentration on the present plays an important role.

Does your approach to time matter for your learning? The role of time perspectives on engagement and achievement

Time perspectives have been found to be related to a wide range of psychological phenomena. However, in the educational context, there remains to be a lack of research on how they relate to important academic outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine how time perspectives are related to educational outcomes such as engagement, its opposite disaffection and achievement. A model positing time perspectives as antecedents, engagement and disaffection as mediators, and academic achievement as an outcome was proffered. Filipino university students were recruited to answer relevant questionnaires. Results showed that future and past-positive time perspectives were positively associated with engagement and negatively associated with disaffection. Past negative and present fatalistic time perspectives were associated with disaffection. Interestingly, present fatalistic time perspective was related to both positive (engagement) and negative (disaffection) outcomes. A cultural explanation was proposed. Moreover, engagement positively predicted academic achievement, while disaffection negatively predicted it. Implications for integrating research on individual differences in time perspectives and academic outcomes are discussed.

The effects of Present Hedonistic Time Perspective and Past Negative Time Perspective on substance use consequences

BackgroundThe overuse of substances can lead to economic, physical, and social consequences. Previous research has demonstrated associations between time perspective and frequency of substance use, but no studies have investigated time perspective's effect on substance use consequences. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. MethodsUsing an MTurk sample (N=531), latent factor models tested the hypothesis that both Present Hedonistic Time Perspective (PrHTP) and Past Negative Time Perspective PaNTP positively predict alcohol and illicit drug use consequences. Bootstrap analyses were then used to test the hypothesis that PrHTP indirectly affected the relationship between PaNTP and alcohol and illicit drug use consequences. ResultsPrHTP significantly predicted alcohol and illicit drug use consequences. PaNTP also significantly predicted alcohol and illicit drug use consequences. PrHTP was found to indirectly affect the relationship between PaNTP and substance use consequences for both alcohol and illicit drugs. ConclusionsThe findings are consistent with previous research and introduce time perspective as an individual differences risk factor for substance use consequences. The partial and full indirect effects are consistent with the idea that individuals with a PaNTP may develop a PrHTP, placing them at risk for substance use consequences.

Flourishing in the now: Initial validation of a present-eudaimonic time perspective scale

IntroductionA positive focus on the present, the only time zone which we experience directly and permanently, is at least as relevant as perspectives on the past and future in a balanced time perspective and its relation to wellbeing. Yet, few instruments examining a positive present time perspective exist. Two present-directed concepts, mindfulness and flow, that are intrinsically linked to mental wellbeing were analyzed and used to formulate a present-eudaimonic scale that complements the past and future scales of the balanced time perspective scale. The present study addresses the psychometric properties of the present-eudaimonic scale and the modified balanced time perspective scale.Method131 participants filled out the present-eudaimonic scale, the balanced time perspective scale, the Zimbardo time perspective inventory, the five facet mindfulness questionnaire – short form, the Swedish flow proneness questionnaire and the mental health continuum – short form. Balanced time perspective was operationalized using the deviation from a balanced time perspective coefficient.ResultsThe present-eudaimonic scale showed good psychometric properties including internal consistency, factor structure, and convergent validity. The present-eudaimonic scale explained an additional eleven percent of variance in mental health beyond the other time perspective scales. Balanced time perspective as measured with the modified balanced time perspective scale correlated significantly stronger with mental health than balanced time perspective measured with the Zimbardo time perspective inventory.ConclusionsThe present-eudaimonic scale fills a gap in the assessment of time perspective and the modified balanced time perspective scale is a promising way to study balanced time perspective.

Time Perspective, Hope, and Learning Strategy among Rural Australian University Students

Research seeking to improve retention at Universities has traditionally had a focus on student engagement. Temporal orientation has been theorised as having a significant influence on student engagement. Zimbardo's Time Perspective Inventory, the State Hope Scale, and the Study Process Questionnaire were completed by 167 Psychology students attending a rural university. Future Time Perspective and Past Positive were positively correlated with the Hope Pathway subscale. Present Hedonistic Time Perspective was positively correlated with the Agency subscale of Hope. There was a significant difference between deep and surface learners with regards to Future Time Perspective. No significant differences between school leavers and mature-aged students were found for the variables of Time Perspective and Hope. School leavers utilized surface learning strategies, while mature-aged students tended to use deep learning strategies. Current research suggests time perspectives may be helpful in enhancing and supporting academic engagement and persistence in higher education.

Time Perspective, Hope, and Learning Strategy among Rural Australian University Students

Research seeking to improve retention at Universities has traditionally had a focus on student engagement. Temporal orientation has been theorised as having a significant influence on student engagement. Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory, the State Hope Scale, and the Study Process Questionnaire were completed by 167 Psychology students attending a rural university. Future Time Perspective and Past Positive were positively correlated with the Hope Pathway subscale. Present Hedonistic Time Perspective was positively correlated with the Agency subscale of Hope. There was a significant difference between deep and surface learners with regards to Future Time Perspective. No significant differences between school leavers and mature-aged students were found for the variables of Time Perspective and Hope. School leavers utilized surface learning strategies, while mature-aged students tended to use deep learning strategies. Current research suggests time perspectives may be helpful in enhancing and supporting academic engagement and persistence in higher education.

Out of Sight, Out of Time? A Meta–Analytic Investigation of Procrastination and Time Perspective

Recent theory suggests that trait procrastination is a form of temporal self–regulation failure that reflects a disjunction between the present and future self. Yet research to date is sparse and inconsistent regarding the nature of the associations of procrastination with time perspective. The current study aimed to meta–analytically summarize the evidence to date to address the question of how procrastination is linked to future and present time perspective, and to test whether stress and positive affect explained the link between procrastination and future time perspective. A search of the available literature yielded six published studies and three unpublished studies, which were combined with five unpublished data sets for a total of 14 samples with 4312 participants. The meta–analysis revealed that procrastination had a moderate and significant negative association with future time perspective, and a small but significant positive association with present time perspective. Mediation analyses across two of the samples found that high stress and low positive affect explained in part the association between procrastination and future time perspective. Overall, these findings support the notion that procrastinators focus less on the future and highlight the dynamic interrelations of affect and cognition that underlie procrastinators’ intertemporal choices. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

Thinking about the past, present and future in adolescents growing up in Children's Homes

The present study tested the hypothesis that adolescents growing up in Children's Homes differ from adolescents growing up in a family environment in how they think about their past, present and future, in the way they make decisions about future events and rewards, and in their levels of empathy and perspective taking. The participants were 40 adolescents from Children's Homes in Budapest, Hungary, and 40 age- and gender-matched controls. Group differences were found in participants' past and present time perspectives, and girls from Children's Homes showed reduced consistency in their plans for the future. Additionally, gender differences emerged in empathy, perspective taking, and in participants' present and future time perspectives. We discuss the implications of our findings for interventions to improve the future prospects of adolescents in Children's Homes.

Evaluated the Relationship between Six Holland Interest and Time Perspective on Isfahan Student's High School (12-16 Grades)

The main purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between six Holland interest and Time Perspective on Isfahan student's high school (12-16 grads). The statistical population of this research includes Isfahanian student that was in grad 12 to 16. From this population, 100 persons were selected with stratified random sample method. In this research, Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) and Strong Interest Inventory(SII) were used for collecting data. Descriptive statistics and statistical inference include Correlation analysis and mean structures, were used to analyze the data. The results showed highest significant relationship between Investigative interest and future time Perspective were significantly (R= 0/74). Artistic, Social interest and Present hedonistic time Perspective was significant in rang (R=0/33, 0/44). This relation could be the reason for the high level of procrastination on these interests. Also Enterprise interest and future time Perspective were significantly (R= 0/49) correlated. Finally Conventional, Realistic interest and Past negative were significantly (R=0/51, 0/37) correlated.

Time perspectives and boredom coping strategies of undergraduate students from Turkey

Using person-centered and variable-centered analyses, this study examined the relationships between undergraduate students’ time perspectives and boredom coping strategies. A total of 719 undergraduate students voluntarily participated in the study. Results of the study showed that undergraduate students’ time perspectives can be reliably defined through four meaningful and distinctly different clusters: high past-positive and future time perspective cluster, high present-hedonistic time perspective cluster, high past-negative and present-fatalistic time perspective cluster, and low present-fatalistic time perspective cluster. Results also showed that, regardless of the effects of social desirability, students in high past-positive and future time perspective and low present-fatalistic time perspective clusters used cognitive-approach and behavioral-approach boredom coping strategies; whereas students in high past-negative and present fatalistic time perspective cluster used both cognitive-avoidance and behavioral-avoidance strategies. Results of the present study suggest that it makes sense to consider students’ time perspectives together with their boredom coping strategies in educational settings. Implications for education and directions for future studies were also discussed in the present study.

To Study or Not to Study? Investigating the Link Between Time Perspectives and Motivational Interference

The aim of this study was to explore possible synergies between research on motivational interference and time perspectives. A conceptual model relating individual differences in time perspectives to motivational interference during studying and leisure and academic achievement was tested. Filipino college students ( N = 385) participated in the study. Results from the path analysis indicated that future time perspective was positively associated with motivational interference during leisure and negatively associated with motivational interference during studying. Moreover, future time perspective also positively predicted academic achievement. Present fatalistic and past negative time perspectives were positively associated with motivational interference during studying. Present hedonistic time perspective negatively predicted motivational interference during leisure. Motivational interference during studying, in turn, was negatively associated with academic achievement. Implications are discussed.

Are larks future-oriented and owls present-oriented? Age- and sex-related shifts in chronotype–time perspective associations

The chronotype (morningness/eveningness) relates to individual differences in circadian preferences. Time perspective (past, present, future) refers to the preference to rely on a particular temporal frame for decision-making processes and behavior. First evidence suggests that future time perspective is associated with greater morningness and present time perspective with greater eveningness. However, little is known about how chronotype–time perspective relationships may alter over the life span. This present study investigated links between chronotype and time perspective more thoroughly by taking age and sex into account as well. Seven hundred six participants aged between 17 and 74 completed German adaptations of the Morningness--Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Controlling for age and sex, relationships between morningness and future time perspective as well as between eveningness and present time perspective were replicated. These findings were supported by significant associations between time perspective and midpoint of sleep. Future time perspective was linked to earlier midpoints of sleep, indicating an early chronotype. Present time perspective was associated with later midpoints of sleep, indicating a late chronotype. However, age and sex had an impact on the chronotype–time perspective relationships. In all age groups, male larks were more future-oriented and less present-oriented, male owls more present-oriented and less future-oriented. The same conclusion could be drawn for female adolescents and young adults. For female adults above 30, there was no interrelationship between morningness and future time perspective but between eveningness and past time perspective. Female adult owls were more present-oriented as well as more past-oriented. Female adult larks were less present-oriented and less past-oriented. Findings are discussed in the light of neuroendocrine and serotonergic functioning.

How We Feel is a Matter of Time: Relationships Between Time Perspectives and Mood

Both personality and emotional experiences may be influenced by people’s time perspectives. The Zimbardo time perspective inventory measures five trait dimensions related to past, present and future perspectives. Two studies were conducted to investigate how these time perspective dimensions related to mood. The first study (n = 260) confirmed that ZTPI scales predicted moods including energetic arousal, tense arousal and Hedonic Tone, revealing that past negative and Present Hedonistic time perspectives are the most robust predictors of current emotional states. Moreover, future time perspective proved to predict energetic arousal, but the effect was suppressed by present hedonism. The second study (n = 65) measured mood twice in a 4-week period, and focused on relationships between the ZTPI and recalled and anticipated mood. Analyses conducted using DBTP, an index of temporal harmony based on the ZTPI scores, proved that balanced time perspective was related to more positive mood states in both studies. Findings confirmed that time perspective appears to influence both recall and anticipation of mood. For example, past negative time perspective is associated with anticipation of negative moods, and Past Positive perspective relates to both recall and anticipation of energy. Time perspective may structure the individual’s affective experience.