What's Time Got to Do With It? Appreciation of Time Influences Social Goals and Emotional Well-Being

• Published in: Psychology and aging 2024-12, Vol.39 (8), p.833-853
• Main Authors: Carstensen, Laura L., Chu, Li, Matteson, Tyler J., Growney, Claire M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult Development; Aged; Aging - psychology; Discriminant Validity; Discriminative Validity; Emotional Well Being; Emotions; Female; Goals; Human; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Motivation; Predictive Validity; Psychological Theory; Test Construction; Time Perception
• ISSN: 0882-7974; 1939-1498
• DOI: 10.1037/pag0000856

Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) maintains that perceived constraints on time horizons motivate people to optimize emotionally meaningful experiences in the present, whereas expansive time horizons lead people to pursue goals that hold future utility. Theoretically, the prioritizing of goals about emotional meaning contributes to the relatively high levels of emotional well-being and mental health observed in older people. The present article provides an overview of SST and places it in historical context, noting the differences and similarities it shares with contemporaneous approaches. We briefly review support for core theoretical postulates and consider a recent set of empirical findings that speak against the role of perceived time on emotional well-being. We argue that existing survey measures of time horizons do not capture the increasing value and appreciation of remaining time posited in SST and describe the development of and evidence for a new Appreciation of Remaining Time scale. We conclude with a discussion about the need for theoretical precision in research and, more broadly, the need to consider explanations for age differences that extend beyond compensation for loss to fully understand socioemotional development in adulthood. Public Significance Statement Motivation influences nearly every aspect of human thought and behavior, from memory and attention to social interaction. Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) specifies how goal priorities change with age. Because goals influence cognitive processing, social preferences, and behavior, appreciation for age differences in motivation can help policymakers, practitioners, and educators tailor their efforts to the specific populations they serve.