Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
05:59
Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Adults' future time perspective predicts engagement in physical activity
Sarah T Stahl1, Julie Hicks Patrick
1Department of Psychiatry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA. sts80@pitt.edu
Summary
Future time perspective (FTP) and perceived functional limitations significantly influence adult physical activity engagement. Understanding these factors can promote health behaviors across the lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Gerontology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Physical activity engagement is crucial for adult health.
- Known predictors like age, sex, and BMI are well-established.
- The role of future time perspective (FTP) and perceived functional limitations needs further exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how future time perspective (FTP) and perceived functional limitations interact with known predictors to explain physical activity in adults.
- To test the hypothesis that a more expansive FTP is associated with greater physical activity engagement.
Main Methods:
- Collected self-report data from 226 adults aged 20-88 years.
- Utilized statistical modeling to analyze relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- The model demonstrated a good fit to the data, explaining 15.7% of the variance in physical activity.
- Perceived functional limitation (β = -.140) and FTP (β = .162) were directly associated with physical activity.
- Age indirectly influenced physical activity through perceived functional limitation (β = -.264) and FTP (β = .541).
Conclusions:
- Future time perspective (FTP) is a significant factor in explaining physical activity and health-promoting behaviors across the adult lifespan.
- Researchers should consider incorporating FTP and potentially socioemotional selectivity theory into models explaining adult physical activity.
- Perceived functional limitations also play a direct role, highlighting the interplay of psychological and physical factors.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:27Emerging Adulthood
Jeffrey Arnett's concept of emerging adulthood offers a framework to understand the unique developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, generally from ages 18 to 25. This period is marked by extensive exploration and shifts in identity, relationships, and career choices, a process known in psychology as role experimentation. Emerging adulthood reflects the evolving cultural expectations surrounding adulthood and the dynamic process of personal transformation during this...
01:30Social Cognitive Perspective on Personality
Social cognitive perspectives on personality emphasize the importance of conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals in shaping behavior. These perspectives incorporate behaviorist principles, such as learning through reinforcement and conditioning, but extend beyond them by highlighting human reasoning and planning. Unlike traditional behaviorist views, social cognitive theory focuses on how individuals reflect on their past experiences and plan for future outcomes by considering...
01:08Timing and Consequences on Behavior
In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...