Research Report on the Long-term Relationship between Time Perspective and Life Satisfaction in Adulthood

Research Background

Time perspective is an important predictor of human well-being. However, time perspective itself changes with development. A future-dominated time perspective gradually gives way to a present and past-focused perspective as remaining life expectancy decreases. These age-related changes may be associated with higher subjective well-being (SWB). However, previous research results have been heterogeneous, and most studies have only explored one dimension of time perspective and have not included young or middle-aged adults. Therefore, this study aims to explore in depth the relationship between changes in four aspects of time perspective (past orientation, future time concreteness, obsolescence, and attitude towards life’s finiteness) and life satisfaction and domain-specific satisfaction, and to investigate the moderating role of age in this relationship.

Research Source

This article was written by Maria Wirth, Markus Wettstein, and Klaus Rothermund, affiliated with Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Humboldt University Berlin. It was published in the journal “Communications Psychology” (2024).

Research Process

This study used 10-year longitudinal data from an age-diverse sample of 459 participants aged 30 to 80. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between changes in various aspects of time perspective and life satisfaction and domain-specific satisfaction (such as friendships, health, mental health, and cognitive health), and to test whether these relationships are moderated by age or subjective remaining life expectancy.

a) Detailed Description of Research Process

1. Research Subjects and Sampling: The study selected a German sample from the “Aging as Future” (AAF) longitudinal study, with an initial sample of 768 participants aged 30 to 80. Data were collected at three time points: 2009, 2014, and 2019.

2. Measurement of Time Perspective: A short version of the time perspective questionnaire was used, including four subscales: future time concreteness (e.g., “I have clear future goals and pursue them”), past orientation (e.g., “I think more about my past than my future”), obsolescence (e.g., “I increasingly feel that I can’t keep up with the times”), and attitude towards life’s finiteness (e.g., “I face the end of life with calmness”). Each subscale contained three items, rated on a 5-point scale.

3. Measurement of Life Satisfaction: Using scales from previous studies, participants’ satisfaction with friends, leisure, personality, finances, work, physical ability, mental health, appearance, and health was assessed. Overall life satisfaction was calculated as the average of these domain satisfactions.

4. Measurement of Subjective Remaining Life Expectancy: Subjective Remaining Life Expectancy (SRLE) was assessed through the question “I think I will probably live to be ___ years old.”

5. Control of Covariates: Gender, education level, monthly income, and subjective health were controlled for in the data analysis.

6. Data Analysis: Longitudinal multilevel regression models (SAS Proc Mixed) were used to analyze the relationship between time perspective and life satisfaction, and to test the moderating effects of age and subjective remaining life expectancy.

b) Research Results

1. Descriptive Results:

   • Different age groups in the initial sample showed differences in the four aspects of time perspective, specifically:
     • Past orientation and obsolescence increased significantly with age, while future time concreteness and sense of control over the future decreased significantly.
     • Future time concreteness was significantly correlated with life satisfaction, with higher concreteness associated with higher life satisfaction. Higher obsolescence was associated with lower life satisfaction.

2. Longitudinal Analysis Results: From a long-term perspective, the following conclusions were more significant:

   • Future time concreteness was significantly correlated with life satisfaction both within and between individuals. At any given measurement point, individuals with higher concreteness generally reported higher life satisfaction.
   • The moderating effects of age and subjective remaining life expectancy on these relationships were weak, indicating that the relationship between changes in life satisfaction and time perspective was relatively stable across different age groups.

c) Research Conclusions and Significance

The study found that changes in time perspective are related to well-being in adulthood, especially the concreteness of future time is more significantly associated with life satisfaction. This suggests that cultivating a concrete and organized expectation of the future can effectively improve an individual’s life satisfaction.

Moreover, this study is the first to simultaneously assess different aspects of time perspective in an age-diverse sample over a long observation period, analyzing the independent contributions of each aspect to life satisfaction. Although age and subjective remaining life expectancy showed moderating effects in some domain-specific satisfactions, the overall effects were small, requiring further research into detailed mechanisms and boundary conditions.

d) Highlights and Novelty of the Research

1. Multi-dimensional Time Perspective Analysis: This study is the first to simultaneously assess multiple dimensions of time perspective in a longitudinal sample, providing a more comprehensive understanding of how time perspective affects life satisfaction across different age groups and life stages.
2. Longer Observation Period: Using 10-year observational data, this study provides longer-term insights into the relationship between different time perspectives and life satisfaction.
3. Moderating Effects of Age and Subjective Remaining Life Expectancy: Although the moderating effects were not significant, this study provides a new perspective, suggesting the need to consider the potential impacts of age and subjective remaining life expectancy on the relationship between time perspective and life satisfaction.

e) Other Valuable Information

The study also emphasizes the importance of incorporating time perspective into broader well-being theories, proposing directions for future further exploration of the multidimensionality of time perspective and its relationship with life satisfaction. Additionally, the study points out that future research might obtain stronger effects by increasing observation points and using scales with higher reliability. These findings and suggestions provide valuable theoretical foundations and methodological guidance for future research on the relationship between time perspective and well-being.

This study presents new insights in the research of time perspective and well-being, and emphasizes directions that future research needs to continue exploring to further understand the impact of time perspective on well-being across different age groups and life stages.