Differences in Time Perspective in Representatives of Various Generations

Abstract

Abstract There are currently five generations: veterans (born 1922–1945), baby boomers (born 1946–1963), generation X (born 1964–1979), generation Y (born 1980–1995) and generation Z (born after 1995). Each person adopts a specific attitude to experiencing the passing of time, i.e., a time perspective. In addition, each person adopts a specific attitude to experiencing the passing time, i.e., a temporal orientation. This study investigates whether members of different generations differ in of terms of their preferred time perspective. The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory was used in the study. A total of 435 people were surveyed, out of which 215 (49.4%) were women and 220 (50.6%) men. The subjects were aged 16–81, and the average age for the whole group was M = 45.04, SD = 19.20. The conducted analyses revealed the occurrence of statistically significant differences between generations X, Y, Z and between veterans and baby boomers. In the groups of veterans and baby boomers, the highest intensity was demonstrated for the past positive perspective. Among members of generations X and Y, future perspective was the most preferred one. In generation Z, the hedonistic present and the positive past are the most strongly preferred time perspective. The obtained results can be used in the work with individual generations in order to develop more adaptive profiles of time perspective. This applies in particular to generation Z, which seems to represent the least functional time perspective.