Age Patterns in Mental Representations of Time: Underlying Constructs and Relevant Covariates

Abstract

Background/Study Context Research suggests that mental representations of time encompass multiple distinct aspects that vary with age, but prior studies rarely assessed more than one aspect of time perception and did not systematically consider relevant covariates. This lack of integration across studies hampers theory building and limits a deeper understanding of underlying constructs. Methods Five widely used and conceptually distinct measures of time perception (i.e., perceived life position, global future horizons, future orientation and planning, self-continuity, and the temporal extension of episodic future thought) were administered to a demographically stratified adult life-span sample. Theoretically implicated covariates including cognition, current affect, personality, and subjective health were also assessed. Results Principle component analyses suggested a four-component solution. Perceived life position and global future horizons formed a single component reflecting subjective life span; the remaining measures each constituted separate components. The life span component and episodic future thought were negatively associated with age, self-continuity was positively associated with age, and future orientation did not vary by age. Among the covariates, mental and physical health showed the most pronounced associations with time perceptions, but the direction of effects varied across components. Conclusion Findings suggest that mental representations of time encompass multiple components that show distinct age patterns and associations with covariates. Implications for theory building and practical applications are discussed.

In the moment and feeling good: Age differences in mindfulness and positive affect.

“…The lack of a significant correlation may be an artifact of the specific measures used in this study. Different measures of temporal perspectives have distinct associations with age and with each other (Rutt & Löckenhoff, 2016). Likewise, there are different conceptualizations and measures of mindfulness (e.g., Bergomi, Tschacher, & Kupper, 2013; Sauer et al, 2013).…”

Invariance of the Derailment Scale-6: Testing the measurement and correlates of derailment across adulthood.

“…As a context for understanding how goals change with age, Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST; Carstensen et al, 1999) suggests people prioritize goals based on FTP: if time feels like it is running out, goals with immediate emotional payoff are selected and, if time feels expansive, instrumental goals with delayed gratification are preferred. Decreasing with age (Rutt & Löckenhoff, 2016), FTP may explain why older adults may prefer to spend time with family, for example, than attend college. Under SST, derailed individuals may feel as though they have lost the opportunity to “get back on track” toward past instrumental goals and instead prioritize those with immediate emotional payoff.…”

Time for work: Analyzing the role of time perspectives in work attitudes and behaviors

“…Occupational FTP refers to perceived remaining time in employment, and is associated with higher work engagement, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and other positive outcomes (Henry et al 2017; see also a recent meta-analysis by Rudolph et al 2018). However, Carstensen's conceptualization of FTP as a time horizon should be distinguished from Zimbardo and Boyd's (1999) construct, which refers to broad cognitive schemas for thinking about the future without any specific end-point (Rutt and Löckenhoff 2016). Empirically, the Carstensen (2006) and ZTPI measures are independent, and only the former version of FTP is substantially (negatively) correlated with age (Laureiro-Martinez et al 2017; Rutt and Löckenhoff 2016).…”