The Role of Futurity in Aging Adaptation

Spence, Donald L.

doi:10.1093/geront/8.3_part_1.180

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Results supported both previous research and our hypotheses that futureoriented planning would predict perceived control (Kirschenbaum et al, 1981) and life satisfaction (Mahon, Yarcheski, & Yarcheski, 1997;Spence, 1968).…”

Section: Planning Perceived Control and Life Satisfactionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Previous findings suggest that planning is associated with such constructs as selfefficacy, motivation, volition, effort, and persistence (Aspinwell, 1997;Bandura, 1997;Gollwitzer, 1996;Kirschenbaum, Humphrey, & Malett, 1981;Kuhl, 1984;Lachman & Burack, 1993;Skinner, 1997;Thompson, Cheek, & Graham, 1988). These findings, examined in conjunction with research suggesting a positive relationship between future-oriented planning and life satisfaction (Burack & Lachman, 1996;Spence, 1968;Trommsdorff, 1994), suggest that planning leads to a greater sense of control and to an increase in perceptions of well-being.…”

mentioning

confidence: 86%

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Planning for the future: A life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood.

Prenda

Lachman²

2001

Psychology and Aging

364

286

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The study examined the social, personality, and cognitive correlates of self-reported future planning and the relationship of future planning to perceived control and life satisfaction. Using 2 probability samples of adults ages 25-74 (n 1 = 2,971, n 2 = 300) findings suggest, for Study 1, that education, income, social support, predictability, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience were positively related to future planning, whereas Neuroticism and Agreeableness were negatively related. Men were more future oriented; as age increased, future planning decreased. Study 2 replicated the findings with the exception of age, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. For both studies, results supported a model in which the effects of future planning on life satisfaction were mediated by sense of control. A Planning X Age interaction for Study 1 indicated that although self-reported future planning decreased with age, the positive effects of future-oriented planning strategies on life satisfaction were most pronounced for the older adults, and this relationship was also mediated by control beliefs.Psychologists have long been interested in the ways in which people control or structure their lives and how those different strategies influence outcomes. Planning, as a life management strategy, is one way people control and structure their lives. Often we are advised not to count our chickens before they hatch or that a "one-day-at-a-time" approach to life may yield more positive outcomes. According to Cameron, Desai, Bahador, andDremel (1977-1978) even the Bible tells us "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, tomorrow will look after itself. Each day has troubles enough of its own" (Matthew 6:34, King James Version). In contrast, the view that by planning for the future we ensure direction, control, and a greater sense of well-being in our lives is espoused by western cultural views. Take, for example, the recent trend of hiring personal planners for everything from weddings to vacations and the large inventory of day planners in office supply and computer stores (Kunde, 1998).The goals of the present study were twofold: (a) to examine individual differences in self-reported future planning in relation to environmental, personality, and cognitive antecedents and (b) to investigate the relationship of future-oriented planning to perceived control and life satisfaction. Further, this study examined whether the nature of that relationship varied by age. The extensive research literature on planning falls into two broad categories: (a) those involving problem-solving processes and planning of discrete, finite tasks (e.g., Das, Kar, & Parilla, 1996;G. A. Miller, Galanter, & Pribram, 1960;Smith, 1996) more open-ended, generalized life-planning tasks (e.g., Cantor, 1990;Little, 1983;Nurmi, 1989;Smith, 1996). This study focused on the latter approach by assessing self-reported planning styles.Process models of planning (e.g., S. L. Friedman & Scholnick, 1997;Macan, 1994;Scholnick & Friedman, 1993) suggest possible antecedents and outco...

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Section: Planning Perceived Control and Life Satisfactionsupporting

confidence: 89%

mentioning

confidence: 86%

Planning for the future: A life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood.

Prenda

Lachman²

2001

Psychology and Aging

364

286

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indices of past or future imagery, indices for the anticipated similarity of the future to the past, or for perceived foreknowledge which are incorporated a priori in research may yield evidence of perceived relationships among the time zones. Spence (1968) found in his group of persons aged 60 and over, that a self-report of planning for "next week or the week after" was associated with higher self-reported morale than was lack of planning. Schonfield (1973) also presented data indicating that higher commitments of time over the upcoming week were posjtively correlated with self-report indices of successful aging.…”

Section: Feifelmentioning

confidence: 98%

Future time perspective in later adulthood: Review and research directions

Rakowski

1979

Experimental Aging Research

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The degree of experimental and quantitative detail which can be imposed on older adults' temporal experiences remains a significant area for investigation. This paper surveys material related to this general area of study, taking primarily a psychological focus. Review of this literature suggests that while a basic future time orientation is not significantly affected in later life, older adults are at-risk of developing a less extended and less full personal future. However, research has been almost exclusively cross-sectional,, and our empirical knowledge concerning the functional impact of such changes, should they occur, is minimal. In addition, although several correlates of older adults' future time perspective have been reported, normative directions of causal relationship have not been determined. Consequently, while much of our data are varied, interesting, and insightful, they are at present difficult to organize or apply. Research should be pursued on several fronts, including prospective designs, the use of time perspective as a predictor and outcome variable, model development, and close association with temporal concepts in social gerontology.

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“…There is evidence to suggest that compared with younger people older adults think more often about their own future death, but in contrast death inspires more fear in young people than in older adults (De Raedt & Van der Speeten, 2008). Other researchers found that maintaining a future perspective is important for older people, if combined with other time orientations (Miller & Lieberman, 1965;Shifflett, 1987;Spence, 1968). Studies of the future TP showed that when the residents of an nursing home were given the opportunity to participate in planning future events, such as the film schedule or the visiting hours, they had a better sense of control over their lives and showed an improvement in their physical and mental health (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995;Fry, 1990;Shmotkin & Eyal, 2003).…”

Section: Time Perspective Linked To Subjective Well-being In Later Lifementioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship Between Time Perspective and Subjective Well-being of Older Adults

Desmyter¹,

Raedt

2012

PSYCHOL BELG

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Time perspective is crucial for our present and future plans, and for the way we act in the present. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between time perspective and subjective well-being in older adults. The sample of our questionnaire study consisted of 149 older adults aged between 65 and 96 years. Time perspective was measured with the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. The five time perspective dimensions were related to four specific aspects of subjective well-being (positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction and depression). Future-oriented older persons had a more positive affect. Older adults who were positively oriented towards the past appeared to be more satisfied with life. A hedonistic view of the present was related to a high positive affect. Older persons with a Past-Negative perspective were more likely to experience negative affect and depressive feelings, along with a lower level of positive affect and satisfaction with life. The Present-Fatalistic time perspective correlated with more depressive symptoms. The findings emphasize the relevance of time perspective styles for the subjective well-being, which has specific implications for the way caregivers could interact with older adults to enhance quality of life.

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The Role of Futurity in Aging Adaptation

Cited by 18 publications

References 0 publications

Planning for the future: A life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood.

Planning for the future: A life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood.

Future time perspective in later adulthood: Review and research directions

The Relationship Between Time Perspective and Subjective Well-being of Older Adults

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