Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being
Background. A “balanced” time perspective has been suggested to have a positive influence on well-being: a sentimental and positive view of the past (high Past Positive), a less pessimistic attitude toward the past (low Past Negative), the desire of experiencing pleasure with slight concern for futu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2016-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/1826.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827612308447166464 |
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| author | Danilo Garcia Uta Sailer Ali Al Nima Trevor Archer |
| author_facet | Danilo Garcia Uta Sailer Ali Al Nima Trevor Archer |
| author_sort | Danilo Garcia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. A “balanced” time perspective has been suggested to have a positive influence on well-being: a sentimental and positive view of the past (high Past Positive), a less pessimistic attitude toward the past (low Past Negative), the desire of experiencing pleasure with slight concern for future consequences (high Present Hedonistic), a less fatalistic and hopeless view of the future (low Present Fatalistic), and the ability to find reward in achieving specific long-term goals (high Future). We used the affective profiles model (i.e., combinations of individuals’ experience of high/low positive/negative affectivity) to investigate differences between individuals in time perspective dimensions and to investigate if the influence of time perspective dimensions on well-being was moderated by the individual’s type of profile. Method. Participants (N = 720) answered to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and two measures of well-being: the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being-short version. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to identify differences in time perspective dimensions and well-being among individuals with distinct affective profiles. Four structural equation models (SEM) were used to investigate which time perspective dimensions predicted well-being for individuals in each profile. Results. Comparisons between individuals at the extreme of the affective profiles model suggested that individuals with a self-fulfilling profile (high positive/low negative affect) were characterized by a “balanced” time perspective and higher well-being compared to individuals with a self-destructive profile (low positive/high negative affect). However, a different pattern emerged when individuals who differed in one affect dimension but matched in the other were compared to each other. For instance, decreases in the past negative time perspective dimension lead to high positive affect when negative affect is high (i.e., self-destructive vs. high affective) but to low negative affect when positive affect was high (i.e., high affective vs. self-fulfilling). The moderation analyses showed, for example, that for individuals with a self-destructive profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the past negative, present fatalistic and future time perspectives. Among individuals with a high affective or a self-fulfilling profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic dimension. Conclusions. The interactions found here go beyond the postulation of a “balanced” time perspective being the only way to promote well-being. Instead, we present a more person-centered approach to achieve higher levels of emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:20:40Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:20:40Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-5f10b3c94b6f44c6b2d00c2fd0544eaa2023-12-02T21:50:25ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592016-03-014e182610.7717/peerj.1826Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-beingDanilo Garcia0Uta Sailer1Ali Al Nima2Trevor Archer3Blekinge Center of Competence, Blekinge County Council, Karlskrona, SwedenDepartment of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenBlekinge Center of Competence, Blekinge County Council, Karlskrona, SwedenDepartment of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenBackground. A “balanced” time perspective has been suggested to have a positive influence on well-being: a sentimental and positive view of the past (high Past Positive), a less pessimistic attitude toward the past (low Past Negative), the desire of experiencing pleasure with slight concern for future consequences (high Present Hedonistic), a less fatalistic and hopeless view of the future (low Present Fatalistic), and the ability to find reward in achieving specific long-term goals (high Future). We used the affective profiles model (i.e., combinations of individuals’ experience of high/low positive/negative affectivity) to investigate differences between individuals in time perspective dimensions and to investigate if the influence of time perspective dimensions on well-being was moderated by the individual’s type of profile. Method. Participants (N = 720) answered to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and two measures of well-being: the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being-short version. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to identify differences in time perspective dimensions and well-being among individuals with distinct affective profiles. Four structural equation models (SEM) were used to investigate which time perspective dimensions predicted well-being for individuals in each profile. Results. Comparisons between individuals at the extreme of the affective profiles model suggested that individuals with a self-fulfilling profile (high positive/low negative affect) were characterized by a “balanced” time perspective and higher well-being compared to individuals with a self-destructive profile (low positive/high negative affect). However, a different pattern emerged when individuals who differed in one affect dimension but matched in the other were compared to each other. For instance, decreases in the past negative time perspective dimension lead to high positive affect when negative affect is high (i.e., self-destructive vs. high affective) but to low negative affect when positive affect was high (i.e., high affective vs. self-fulfilling). The moderation analyses showed, for example, that for individuals with a self-destructive profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the past negative, present fatalistic and future time perspectives. Among individuals with a high affective or a self-fulfilling profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic dimension. Conclusions. The interactions found here go beyond the postulation of a “balanced” time perspective being the only way to promote well-being. Instead, we present a more person-centered approach to achieve higher levels of emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being.https://peerj.com/articles/1826.pdfTime perspectivePositive affectNegative affectPsychological well-beingTemporal life satisfactionAffective profiles model |
| spellingShingle | Danilo Garcia Uta Sailer Ali Al Nima Trevor Archer Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being PeerJ Time perspective Positive affect Negative affect Psychological well-being Temporal life satisfaction Affective profiles model |
| title | Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being |
| title_full | Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being |
| title_fullStr | Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being |
| title_full_unstemmed | Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being |
| title_short | Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being |
| title_sort | questions of time and affect a person s affectivity profile time perspective and well being |
| topic | Time perspective Positive affect Negative affect Psychological well-being Temporal life satisfaction Affective profiles model |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/1826.pdf |
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