Planning for the Future: Future Time Orientation and Life Project Scales
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Date
2020
Authors
Smith, Madeleine
Coscioni, Vinicius
Husman, Jenefer
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Planning for the Future: International Future Time Orientation and Life Project Scales Author: Smith, Madeleine, Educational Foundations Major and Vinicius Coscioni, University of Coimbra, Portugal Abstract: Throughout the years, extensive research has been done on what influences people’s decisions. What prompts a student to apply to one school over another? Do future goals really influence a student’s academic performance in a class? Researchers have found that psychological future and personal goals play a vital role in an individual’s present behavior, decision making, and self-concept. More specifically, future time orientation (FTO) is the degree to which people’s thoughts of the future influence their present-day actions (Husman & Lens, 1999). Similarly, the theory of Life Project (LP) refers to a set of short to long-term goals that shape self-concept and identity (Little, Salmela-Aro, & Phillips, 2017). This project will develop an International Future Time Orientation Scale and Life Project Scale working in conjunction with research teams in Portugal, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and Uruguay. FTO and LP constructs have recently been created by Portuguese research teams. The remaining research teams will conduct focus groups for construct evaluation. This evaluation will focus on main constructs such as distance, connectedness, and valence from FTO as well as organization, identification, and involvement from LP. The structures of both scales’ factors will be analyzed quantitatively with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The development of reliable international FTO and LP scales are a necessary instrument as they could be applicable to larger populations. Overall, this exciting research focuses on what influences an individual’s decisions and can greatly benefit prospective psychological and educational studies.
Description
Project files are comprised of 1 page pdf and presentation recording in mp4 format.
Keywords
future time orientation, psychological future, life project, goals, motivation