Event time perspective of the future as an adaptive resource in the context of social crises

Abstract

The current study is devoted to the plasticity of the future time perspective among Russians in the context of social crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and the special military operation (SMO) on the territory of Ukraine. We analyzed the images of the future obtained with the graphic method "Lifeline of the future" back in 2019 (N=106), 2020 (N=106) and 2022 (N=95). Contrary to the predicted deficits in the future time perspective, the results pointed to the expansion of the planning horizon and increased number of anticipated events in 2020 and 2022. At the same time, positiveness of the future time perspective steadily decreased from 2019 to 2022. We also detected significant fluctuations in the assimilation of the cultural life script (i.e. collective representation of a typical human life) into subjective personal future. Additionally, in the context of crises, the frequency of mentioning one's own death on the lifeline of the future has increased, both as a negative and as a neutral/positive event. Our results demonstrate transformation of the future time perspective macrostructure in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the SMO. Our results support the potential of the future perspective as an adaptive cognitive and personal resource in crisis situations.