Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) is an emerging theory
of lifespan development, implicating adaptive motivational processes with ageing. SST
maintains that age is inherently linked with future time perspective (FTP). It argues that
when people perceive time in life as expansive, typically in youth, individuals tend to
prepare for the future, investing time and energy in Future and Knowledge-oriented
goals. Increasingly with age FTP is more limited, consequently individuals prioritise
Present and Emotion -oriented goals, aimed at mood regulation.
This study has three aims. The first is to test the key tenets of SST within a single
study; examining motivational shifts associated with FTP and ageing, within the
framework of two bipolar dimensions (Present-Future and Knowledge-Emotion). The
second aim is to develop and introduce the use of vignettes as a novel means to test SST
assumptions. The final aim is to engage a culturally diverse sample in order to test the
key assumptions and validity of SST across two cultures, Anglo British and Asian
British.
METHOD: Participants included 64 healthy older people, aged between 60 to 89 years.
Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
were used to screen for cognitive impairment and depression. Participants aged 60-74 (n
=
41) were allocated to the "young old" (Y/O) group and 75 years and above (n = 23)
were assigned to the "old old" (O/O) group. Cultural differences were looked at
between the Asian British (n - 30) and Anglo British (n = 34) participants. The eight
goal-oriented vignettes, four Present-Future and four Emotion-Knowledge, were
constructed and examined within a small pilot study, prior to their implementation
within the main study. Perception of time left in life was assessed using Carstensen and
Lang's (1996) Future Time Perspective Scale (FTPS) and an estimation of time left
(ETL).
Results and Conclusion: The study found that the Y/O group exhibited a more
expansive FTP and a significant bias for Future and Knowledge goal-oriented
information within the vignettes. Conversely, O/O participants reported a more
constrained FTP and favoured Present and Emotion goal-oriented information. These
associations were evident in both cultural groups suggesting that the assumptions of
SST are robust and valid across cultures.
FTP was found to be significantly associated with the Present-Future and KnowledgeEmotion goal-oriented dimensions, even when the effect of age was controlled for. This
supports SST's assumption that perception of time, rather than age is the key modulator
for individual's goal orientation. Overall, SST assumptions were shown to be robust and
valid across both cultural groups. Some differences did emerge between cultures, as age
appeared to be less predictive of an individuals' FTP within Asian British relative to
Anglo British group. Results also indicated that FTP may be a better predictor of the
Knowledge to Emotion motivational shift within the Asian British, rather than the Anglo
British sample. The strength and patterns of associations within the study suggests that
the vignettes are a suitable methodological approach for testing SST assumptions.