Relationship between time perspectives, socioedograpsic variables and life satisfaction

Abstract

The problem of this research is to examine the relationship between dominant time perspectives, sociodemographic variables and life satisfaction.The aim of this research is to examine the possibility of successfully predicting life satisfaction by six dimensions of time orientation (positive past, negative past, hedonistic present, fatalistic present, positive future, negative future), gender, age and socioeconomic status. The sample included 136 respondents aged 18 to 60 years. The dimensions of the time perspective were operationalised by short version of Zimbardo's 18-item questionnaire. The construct of life satisfaction is operationalised by a scale whose authors are Diener et al. (1985). The assumed model, which includes six dimensions of time perspective, gender, age, and socioeconomic status, can explain 36% of the variance in life satisfaction. According to the results of the research, socioeconomic status, negative orientation towards the past, gender, fatalistic orientation towards the present and negative orientation towards future significantly contribute to the explanation of the variance of life satisfaction. Negative aspects of time orientation are (according to the research results) better predictors of life satisfaction than positive ones, because they include a depressive position, enslavement to failures and frustration, endless recycling of a bad past, feeling like a passive actor unable to change anything, belief that games are pre-set and that only negative outcomes are possible, which leads to strengthening of maladaptive patterns of thought and behavior, lack of will, withdrawal from life struggles. The outcome is a failure and dissatisfaction with life, which intensifies depressive rumors and leads to an even more negative view of oneself, one's own experience and possible chances in the future.

Keywords

• time perspective
• life satisfaction
• socioeconomic status
• gender
• age