Extension of Future Time Perspective in Motivational Goals of Different Age Groups

Abstract

Age related differences in extension of future time perspective in motivational goals are studied at three socio-economic levels in a representative sample of the French speaking adult population in Belgium. The hypothesis of an inverted U-shaped relationship between age and extension of future time perspective is tested statistically. It cannot be maintained when using two indices of future extension that are borrowed from earlier studies in this field: (a) the proportion of number of references to the near future to the number of references to the distant future, and (b) the mean future extension score in number of years. The proportion of the mean future extension score to the statistically calculated expected life time is proposed as a new and better index of future extension for comparing different age groups. With this new index the hypothesis is confirmed at the three socioeconomic levels. The limits of the cross-sectional method that is used and the relative value of the new index of extension of future time perspective are discussed.