Future Time Perspectives of Americans and Subcultures in India

Abstract

Earlier studies using projective tests showed that Americans wrote significantly more stories with future themes than did a comparable Indian sample. The present study tested samples from 7 Indian subcultures which have different family traditions. Ss were presented with 4 present tense sentences with 4 themes (economic, educational, occupational, and political, respectively) and asked to develop a story following from them. Kshatriyas, Sikhs and Parsees as well as Americans tended to write stories with future themes, while Brahmins, Vasiyas, Sudras and Muslims wrote stories with past themes. Also, the former groups had a higher need for achievement than the latter groups. It is suggested that measures of time perspective can profitably be used for assessing strength of motivation.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Frank, L. Time perspectives . Journal of Social Philosophy, 1939, 4, 293-312.

Kastenbaum, R. Time dimensions of future time perspective, an experimental analysis . Journal of General Psychology, 1961, 65, 203-318.

Kastenbaum, R. The structure and function of time perspectives . Journal of Psychological Researches (Madras, India), 1964, 8, 1-11.

Lewin, K. Field theory in social science. New York: Harper & Row, 1951.

Lewin, K. , Dembo, T. , Festinger, L. , & Sears, P. Level of aspiration. In J. Hunt (Ed.) Personality and the behavior disorders. New York: Ronald, 1944.

Lewis, O. Village life in northern Indian. Northern India. New York: Vintage, 1962.

McClelland, D. C. Personality. New York: Sloane, 1951.

McClelland, D. C. The achieving society. Princeton: Van Nostrand, 1961.

Meade, R. D. Time estimates as affected by motivation level, goal distance and rate of progress . Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1959, 58, 275-279.

10.

lIeade, R. D. Effect of motivation and progress on the estimation of longer time intervals . Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1963, 65, 564-567.

11.

MIeade, R. D. Achievement motivation, achievement and psychological time . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1966, 4, 577-580.

12.

Meade, R. D. Realism of aspiration levels in Indian and American college students . Journal of Social Psychology, 1968, 75, 169-173. (a)

13.

Meade, R. D. Psychological time in India and America . Journal of Social Psychology, 1968, 76, 169-174. (b)

14.

Meade, R. D. Future time perspectives of college students in America and in India . Journal of Social Psychology, 1971 (in press).

15.

Meade, R. D. , & Singh, L. Effect of motivation and achievement on psychological time in rural and urban subjects in India. Journal of Psychological Researches (Madras, India), 1967, 11, 13-18.

16.

Meade, R. D. , & Singh, L. Motivation and progress effects on psychological time in subcultures of India. Journal of Social Psychology, 1970, 80, 3-10.

17.

Wallace, MI. Future time perspectives in schizophrenia . Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1956, 52, 240-245.

18.

Winterbottom, Marian R. The relation of childhood training in independence to achievement motivation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Michiran. 1953.