title: Taking the long view: Implications of individual differences in temporal distancing for affect, stress reactivity, and well-being.
abstract: Recent experimental work demonstrates that temporal distancing from negative experiences reduces distress. Yet two central questions remain: (a) do people differ in the habitual tendency to temporally distance from negative experiences, and if so (b) what implications does this tendency have for well-being? Seven studies explored these questions. Study 1 describes the construction and reliability of the Temporal Distancing Questionnaire, a new measure of individual differences in the tendency to place negative experiences into a broader future time perspective. Study 2 establishes a nomological network around this construct, examining the relationship of temporal distancing to other theoretically related constructs. Study 3 tests whether people high in temporal distancing (i.e., "high temporal distancers") experience greater concurrent well-being, including greater positive affect and life satisfaction and lesser negative affect, worry, and depressive symptoms. Study 4 examines whether temporal distancing predicts well-being measured at the daily level, and across time. Finally, Studies 5a-5c explore a key way in which temporal distancing may support psychological well-being-by facilitating more adaptive responses to negative experiences. Our results demonstrate that the tendency to temporally distance from negative experiences predicts a more positive profile of affective experiences and stress-reactivity that may support immediate and longer-term well-being. Moreover, many of these findings remained significant when controlling for general reappraisal tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruehlman-Senecal
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Ayduk
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: Oliver P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult