Are you looking at the world with despair or are you hopeful about your future? Are you more oriented to the past, the present, or the future? And how do you feel about the three time periods? All these questions speak to the construct of time perspective in the larger field of what is sometimes called temporal psychology. Although measured time plays an important role in the modern world, psychological time—our subjective feelings about the passage of time—is also quite important. Esteemed developmental psychologists Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget mentioned time perspective in their theoretical formulations.
Much of the research on time is focused on the future and there are studies of constructs such as expectations, future orientation, hope, optimism, perceived life chances, and possible selves. There is also a growing recognition that research needs to pay attention to both the present and the past to fully understand human functioning. Many of us fail to recognize some of the most frequently referenced psychological constructs have time components. For example, self-esteem is present-oriented and self-efficacy connects present actions with future outcomes.
Why the focus on time? In the past two and a half years, we have had a series of momentous events: A global pandemic, a major war in Europe, an attack on the U.S. Capitol, the confirmation of the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the first pictures from the Webb telescope. These are only some of the events to be memorialized in the history books.
Some of these events inspire hope; others are cause for despair. The speed with which the Covid-19 vaccines were developed was due to earlier work conducted on aids and other infectious diseases, reminding us of the importance of supporting science and how good work in the past can contribute to the present. Similarly, the January 6, 2021 insurrection is a potent lesson that democracy cannot be taken for granted and needs ongoing work and attention. I continue to be hopeful about what we can achieve if we can work together and put the good of society and the planet at the forefront.