To evaluate several assumptions regarding the development of time orientation during adolescence the circles test was administered to different age groups (M = 13.8 yr.; M = 17.7 yr.; M = 23.3 yr.). Data for this cross-sectional analysis were collected from a sample of 962 German male and female adolescents (secondary modern and vocational schools, teachers' college). The findings show an effect of age, but not of sex-role influences on temporal dominance; especially the data yielded a decrease of future dominance and an increase in present dominance during adolescence. An interpretation for these results may be found in Lewin's 1946 theory of the “reality-irreality” dimension of time perspective.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CottleT. J.The circles test: an investigation of perceptions of temporal relatedness and dominance. J. proj. Tech. pers. Assess., 1967, 31, 58–71.
2.
CottleT. J.Perceiving time. New York: Wiley, 1976.
3.
DavidsA.KidderC.ReichM.Time orientation in male and female juvenile delinquents. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1962, 64, 239–240.
4.
FüchsleT.Zukunftsgerichtete Zeitperspektive bei jungverheirateten Frauen. Kölner Zeitschr. f. Soziol. Sozialpsychol., 1985, 37, 503–525.
5.
GjesmeT.On the concept of future time orientation: considerations of some functions' and measurements' implications. Internat. J. Psychol., 1983, 18, 443–461.
KlinebergS. L.Changes in outlook on the future between childhood and adolescence. J. Pers. soc. Psychol., 1967, 7, 185–193.
9.
KoenigF.Perception of time among college students and residents of a metropolitan community. Soc. Behav. Pers., 1979, 7, 185–187.
10.
KoenigG.SwansonW.HarterC.Future orientation and social status. Percept. mot. Skills, 1980, 51, 927–930.
11.
KnappR. H.GarbuttJ. T.Time imagery and the achievement motive. J. Pers., 1958, 26, 426–434.
12.
LessingE. E.Demographic, development, and personality correlates of length of future time perspective (FTP). J. Pers., 1968, 36, 193–201.
13.
LewinK.Field theory and experiment in social psychology: concept and method. Amer. J. Sociol., 1939, 44, 868–897.
14.
LewinK.Behavior and development as a function of the total situation. In CarmichaelL. (Ed.), Manual of child psychology. New York: Wiley, 1946. Pp. 791–844.
15.
MeadeR. D.Future time perspective of college students in America and India. J. soc. Psychol., 1971, 83, 175–182.
16.
NuttinJ.Future time perspective and motivation. Leuven/Hillsdale, NJ: Leuven Univer. Press, Erlbaum, 1985.
17.
PlagetJ.Genetic epistemology. New York: Columbia Univer. Press, 1970.
18.
RakowskiW.BarberC. E.SeelbachW. C.Response format and coding procedures in research on time perspective: a methodological commentary. Percept. mot. Skills, 1980, 51, 39–48.
19.
RappaportH.EnrichK.WilsonA.Relation between ego identity and temporal perspective. J. Pers. soc. Psychol., 1985, 48. 1609–1620.
20.
RaynorJ.EntinE. E.The function of future time orientation as a determinant of human behavior in step-path theory of action. Internat. J. Psychol., 1983, 18, 463–487.
21.
TismerK. G.Sex and age differences in personal and global future time perspectives: a replication. Percept. mot. Skills, 1985, 61, 1007–1010.
22.
TismerK. G.Zeitperspektive und soziale Schichtzugehörigkeit. Kölner Zeitschr. f. Soziol. Sozialpsychol., 1985, 37, 677–697.
23.
TrommsdorffG.Future orientation and socialization. Internat. J. Psychol., 1983, 18, 381–406.
24.
TrommsdorffG.LammH.SchmidtR.A longitudinal study of adolescents' future orientation (time perspective). J. Youth & Adolescence, 1979, 8, 131–147.
