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Assessing Temporal Harmony: The Issue of a Balanced Time Perspective

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Time Perspective Theory; Review, Research and Application

Abstract

This chapter provides a detailed analysis of one of the central concepts of Zimbardo and Boyd’s time perspective theory: the balanced time perspective. Since their earliest works in the area, the issue of temporal harmony attracted attention of researchers and practitioners alike, especially within the field of positive psychology. Here, we provide a deepened consideration of the nature of balanced time perspective, its origins, and consequences. Moreover, we review the existing empirical operationalizations of temporal harmony, both those derived from the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and those created independently from it. We analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each method and reflect on future directions in research on the balanced time perspective issue.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Zimbardo and Boyd (1999) empirically distinguished five dimensions (or TPs), on which human’s temporality can be described: Past Negative (PN), Past Positive (PP), Present Fatalistic (PF), Present Hedonistic (PH) and Future (F). A particular description of each may be found in Zimbardo and Boyd’s “Putting Time in Perspective”, this volume.

  2. 2.

    Carelli et al. (2011) empirically distinguished six temporal dimensions (or TPs), on which human’s temporality can be described: Past Negative (PN), Past Positive (PP), Present Fatalistic (PF), Present Hedonistic (PH), Future Positive (FP) and Future Negative (FN). A particular description of each dimension may be found in their works, as well as in the chapter by Carelli et al. (chapter “Broadening the TP Profile: Future Negative Time Perspective”, this volume).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Stawki Str. 5/7, 00-183, Warsaw, Poland

    Maciej Stolarski

  2. Department of Psychology, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Britt Wiberg

  3. Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia

    Evgeny Osin

Authors
  1. Maciej Stolarski
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  2. Britt Wiberg
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  3. Evgeny Osin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maciej Stolarski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

    Maciej Stolarski

  2. Groupe de Recherche en Psychologie Sociale, Institut de Psychologie, University of Lyon, Lyon-Bron, France

    Nicolas Fieulaine

  3. GGZ Veenendaal, Veenendaal, The Netherlands

    Wessel van Beek

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Stolarski, M., Wiberg, B., Osin, E. (2015). Assessing Temporal Harmony: The Issue of a Balanced Time Perspective. In: Stolarski, M., Fieulaine, N., van Beek, W. (eds) Time Perspective Theory; Review, Research and Application. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07368-2_3

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