Time since birth and time left to live: opposing forces in constructing psychological wellbeing

Abstract

Ageing, by definition, involves moving across lived time. Grounded in developmental psychology, particularly lifespan developmental theory, this study examines two time-related factors that may affect psychological wellbeing in adulthood. Particularly, chronological age and perceived time left to live (i.e. future time perspective) are predicted to act as opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. Young (N=285, 19-29 years) and middle-aged adults (N=135, 14-64 years) self-reported their current psychological wellbeing (across six dimensions) and their sense of future time perspective. As predicted, mediation analyses show that higher levels of chronological age (being in midlife), and having a more open-ended, positive future time perspective are both related to higher psychological wellbeing. Note, however, that being in midlife is related to a more limited and negative future time perspective. As such, confirming our conceptual argument, while both age and future perspective are measures of time in a general sense, analyses show that they act as unique, opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. The current research suggests that individuals can optimise psychological wellbeing to the extent that they maintain an open-ended and positive sense of the future. Ageing, by definition, involves moving across lived time. Grounded in developmental psychology, particularly lifespan developmental theory, this study examines two timerelated factors that may affect psychological wellbeing in adulthood. Particularly, chronological age and perceived time left to live (i.e. future time perspective) are predicted to act as opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. Young (N = , - years) and middle-aged adults (N = , - years) selfreported their current psychological wellbeing (across six dimensions) and their sense of future time perspective. As predicted, mediation analyses show that higher levels of chronological age (being in midlife), and having a more open-ended, positive future time perspective are both related to higher psychological wellbeing. Note, however, that being in midlife is related to a more limited and negative future time perspective. As such, confirming our conceptual argument, while both age and future perspective are measures of time in a general sense, analyses show that they act as unique, opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. The current research suggests that individuals can optimise psychological wellbeing to the extent that they maintain an open-ended and positive sense of the future.KEY WORDS -adult development, psychological wellbeing, future time perspective, midlife.

Associations Among Individuals’ Perceptions of Future Time, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being in Old Age

“…Objective accounts of time since birth are captured by chronological age (Ram, Gerstorf, Fauth, Zarit, & Malmaberg, 2010). Yet, individuals of the same age may differ in their subjective experience of time, often operationally defined by perceptions about future time (Carstensen et al, 2006; Demiray & Bluck, 2014; Mirowsky, 1997). Chronological age and perceptions about future time are typically negatively correlated in healthy samples ( r = −.20 to r = −.70; Allemand et al, 2012; Coudin & Lima, 2011; Demiray & Bluck, 2014; Kessler & Staudinger, 2009; Lang & Carstensen, 2002).…”

“…Importantly, individual differences in perceptions about future time may have implications for subjective well-being (Carstensen et al 2006; Demiray & Bluck, 2014; Kotter-Gruehn & Smith, 2011). Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) posits that limited future time perceptions prompt motivational shifts leading to a prioritization of socio-emotional goals and preferences for familiar over unfamiliar social partners (Carstensen et al, 2006; Hoppmann & Blanchard-Fields, 2010; Lang & Carstensen, 2002).…”

“…For the purpose of this research, we use a definition of subjective well-being that includes emotional as well as cognitive-evaluative components (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999). Importantly, past research shows that perceptions about future time are often more meaningfully linked to subjective well-being than age per se (Allemand, Hill, Ghaemmaghami, & Martin, 2012; Carstensen et al, 2011; Demiray & Bluck, 2014). However, there is some controversy regarding the direction of this association, with some research suggesting that limited future time perceptions relate to higher subjective well-being (Carstensen, Mikels, & Mather, 2006), whereas others show the opposite (Allemand et.…”

“…However, there is some controversy regarding the direction of this association, with some research suggesting that limited future time perceptions relate to higher subjective well-being (Carstensen, Mikels, & Mather, 2006), whereas others show the opposite (Allemand et. al., 2012; Demiray & Bluck, 2014; Kosik, Hoppmann, & Gerstorf, in press; Kotter-Gruehn & Smith, 2011). Such discrepant findings could be due to different operational definitions of future time perceptions, limited attention to individual differences in resources, or both (Carstensen et al, 2006; Cate & John, 2007; Charles, 2010; Kotter-Gruehn & Smith, 2011; Mirowsky, 1997; Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999).…”

When does meaning making predict subjective well-being? Examining young and older adults in two cultures

“…The Future Time Perspective Scale (FTP; Carstensen & Lang, 1996) not only assesses how much time one sees in the future, but particularly focuses on the extent to which participants see their future as positive and full of possibilities. There is a growing body of work showing that future time perspective is related to SWB indicators (e.g., happiness, Yeung, Fung, & Lang, 2007;life satisfaction, Fingerman & Perlmutter, 1995; see also Drake, Duncan, Sutherland, Abernethy, & Henry, 2008), and may be a particularly salient aspect of SWB when younger and older adults are examined (e.g., Demiray & Bluck, 2012). Responses to the 10-item measure (e.g., ''My future is full of possibilities'', ''Many opportunities await me in the future'') are made on Likert-type scales ranging from ''very untrue'' (1) to ''very true'' (7).…”