Time on My Mind and My Moral Judgment : Effects of Time Perspective and Temporal Distance on Moral Judgment

Abstract: The present study examined the effect of Time Perspective (TP), i.e. cognitive arrangement of the human experiences into temporal dimensions, and Temporal Distance (TD), i.e. the perceived proximity of an event in time, on moral judgment. The study included 132 participants that completed the Swedish version of Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI) and made moral judgments of transgression of ethical rules depicted in the near vs. distant future. A main effect of TP was revealed meaning that transgression of ethical rules, as predicted, was judged more immoral by Past-Positive and Future orientation compared to Present-Hedonistic and Past-Negative orientation. No main effect of TD was revealed. The interaction of TP x TD was significant and in the predicted direction, but only Present-Hedonistic orientation was significantly affected by TD: distant compared to near future scenarios were judged less immoral by this TP. Importance, limitations and elaborations of the present study were discussed.