The Influence of a Sense of Time on Human Development

2006/06/30 by Laura L. Carstensen · 2 citations
Psychology · Mathematics · Neuroscience · #Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research #Aging and Gerontology Research #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #Socioemotional selectivity theory #Psychology #Cognition #Cognitive psychology #Limit (mathematics) #Time perception #Developmental psychology #Social psychology #Mathematics #Neuroscience

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1127488

openalex publication_date 2006/06/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02

Abstract

The subjective sense of future time plays an essential role in human motivation. Gradually, time left becomes a better predictor than chronological age for a range of cognitive, emotional, and motivational variables. Socioemotional selectivity theory maintains that constraints on time horizons shift motivational priorities in such a way that the regulation of emotional states becomes more important than other types of goals. This motivational shift occurs with age but also appears in other contexts (for example, geographical relocations, illnesses, and war) that limit subjective future time.

Citations

• Drag Characteristics of Rectangular and Swept-back NACA 65-009 Airfoils Having Aspect Ratios of 1.5 and 2.7 as Determined by Flight Tests at Supersonic Speeds
• Sending memorable messages to the old: Age differences in preferences and memory for advertisements.
• Memorizing while walking: Increase in dual-task costs from young adulthood to old age.
• Influence of time on social preferences: Implications for life-span development.
• Taking time seriously: A theory of socioemotional selectivity.

Cited by

• The Theory Behind the Age-Related Positivity Effect
• Socioemotional selectivity theory [wikipedia]