Giving back to the future: Generativity, future time perspective, and purpose

Research suggests that generativity may serve as a path to the experience of purpose in life. However, little is known about how this relationship is influenced by age and future time perspective (FTP). The present study aimed to investigate age and FTP as moderators of the association between generativity and sense of purpose. A total of 787 participants ranging in age from 19 to 94 years ( M = 50.23; SD = 16.47) completed self-report measures of generativity, FTP, and sense of purpose as part of a broader study. Correlational analyses revealed that generativity, age, and FTP were positively associated with a sense of purpose. Moderation analyses found that FTP, but not age, significantly moderated the relationship between generativity and sense of purpose. Specifically, individuals with a more limited FTP exhibited a stronger association between generativity and purpose. Findings lend support for a robust association between generativity and sense of purpose ( r = .54), and they suggest that generativity may be particularly important for sense of purpose when time is perceived as limited. This study paves the way for future research examining the role of FTP on the development of generativity across the lifespan.