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Self-prospection and energization: the joint influence of time distance and consideration of future consequences

Self-prospection and energization: the joint influence of time distance and consideration of future consequences
Self-prospection and energization: the joint influence of time distance and consideration of future consequences
The way people envision their future (self-prospection) plays a key role in the energization required to pursue desired goals. We proposed that energization is determined by time distance from the imagined future-self and the individual's consideration of future consequences (CFC). We hypothesized that, when imagining their distant (vs. near) future-self, individuals higher on CFC (i.e., those who construe a stronger link between present and future selves), would report greater energization. Participants completed the CFC scale, imagined their distant or near future-self, and reported their energy level. Imagining distant (vs. near) future-self fostered energy among participants higher on CFC (Experiments 1-2), an effect mediated by vividness of self-representations (Experiment 2). Self-prospection has implications for current states, and specifically for felt energy.

Keywords: self-prospection, consideration of future consequences, temporal distance, future self, energization
1529-8868
22-36
Stephan, Elena
4d379020-be54-4a1c-848a-9b61923648d2
Shidlovski, Daniella
2da3c756-6d4e-40bd-92a7-74daf6bd0eb4
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Stephan, Elena
4d379020-be54-4a1c-848a-9b61923648d2
Shidlovski, Daniella
2da3c756-6d4e-40bd-92a7-74daf6bd0eb4
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2

Stephan, Elena, Shidlovski, Daniella and Sedikides, Constantine (2018) Self-prospection and energization: the joint influence of time distance and consideration of future consequences. Self and Identity, 17 (1), 22-36. (doi:10.1080/15298868.2017.1314319).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The way people envision their future (self-prospection) plays a key role in the energization required to pursue desired goals. We proposed that energization is determined by time distance from the imagined future-self and the individual's consideration of future consequences (CFC). We hypothesized that, when imagining their distant (vs. near) future-self, individuals higher on CFC (i.e., those who construe a stronger link between present and future selves), would report greater energization. Participants completed the CFC scale, imagined their distant or near future-self, and reported their energy level. Imagining distant (vs. near) future-self fostered energy among participants higher on CFC (Experiments 1-2), an effect mediated by vividness of self-representations (Experiment 2). Self-prospection has implications for current states, and specifically for felt energy.

Keywords: self-prospection, consideration of future consequences, temporal distance, future self, energization

Text
Stephan Shidlovski Sedikides in press SAI (002) - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 27 March 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 9 April 2017
Published date: 2 January 2018
Organisations: Human Wellbeing

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 407358
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/407358
ISSN: 1529-8868
PURE UUID: 15bd273d-456c-4bcb-924e-6fb5922c4d97
ORCID for Constantine Sedikides: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4036-889X

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Date deposited: 04 Apr 2017 01:06
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 05:12

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Contributors

Author: Elena Stephan
Author: Daniella Shidlovski

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