On scaling of future time

Five future points of time (range: 1977 to 2034), described in terms of either (A) year number, or (B) "after N years," were scaled using two different types of scaling method. Subjective temporal distance was in each case a power function of chronological time, the exponent being consistently lower in Condition A than in B. A corresponding difference was found when subjects rated how threatening they experienced each of three events to be when the events were assumed to take place at the five alternative points of time. Experienced threat decreased exponentially with increasing temporal distance.