About this srcd poster session

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Panel information
Panel 23. Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

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Childhood unpredictability is an aspect of early life stress that has been linked to increased risk-propensity and low environmental exploration (Ellis et al., 2021; Maranges et al., 2021; Xu et al, 2023). Future orientation, also impacted by early stress, could mediate these relationships (Kim et al, 2019). Views on the future self are an important part of identity development (Johnson et al., 2014) and future orientation is a process through which future behaviors are influenced by current expectations, experiences, and motivation (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002; Wigfield et al., 1992). Future-oriented thinking is linked to better academic performance (Pawlak & Moustafa, 2023), fewer depressive symptoms (Hamilton et al., 2015) and increased self-control (Kim et al., 2017). Therefore, we planned to examine whether future orientation was 1) a predictor of exploration and risk-taking, and 2) a mediator for relationships between early life unpredictability and these outcomes. Aspects of future orientation include a behavioral component (seeking advice and gathering information about options), motivational component (feeling in control of the future and confidence in materialization of future plans), and value component. This study looked at career focused future orientation.
Participants (N=94) were recruited from their undergraduate psychology course. Childhood unpredictability was measured using the Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC) (Glynn et al., 2019). Future orientation was measured using the Future Orientation Questionnaire (Rachel Seginer & Springbook, 2006), with behavioral, motivational, and cognitive components. Environmental exploration was measured using the Explore-Exploit scale (Harms et al, preparation). Risk-taking propensity was measured using the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (Blais & Weber, 2006; DOSPERT).
We examined bivariate correlations between childhood unpredictability, risk-propensity, environmental exploration, and future orientation. The prediction of a positive relationship between childhood unpredictability and negative outcomes (high risk-propensity, low exploration) was not supported. Childhood unpredictability was associated positively with exploration (r=.219; p=.039) and not associated with risk-propensity. Future orientation was positively correlated with exploration for the behavioral (r=.207; p=.036) and value component (r=.292; p=.005) but not the motivational component. Exploration and risk-propensity were moderately negatively correlated (r=-1.97; p=.058). Because unpredictability did not predict outcomes as hypothesized, we did not run mediation models.
A possible explanation for the finding that exploration was correlated with behavioral and value components of future orientation is that a broader concept regarding developmentally beneficial behavior exists which influences these domains similarly. Such that, if a person seeks to develop themselves wholly, they will take exploratory action in multiple domains. Future research should further explore the relationship between early life unpredictability in the development of environmental exploration and the role of exploration in well-being.

Author information

Author	Role
Jack T. Meiners, UMD	Presenting author
Madeline Harms, University of Minnesota Duluth	Non-presenting author

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