ABSTRACT

Episodic future thinking (EFT) represents the ability to mentally simulate scenarios that will occur in our personal future. In the current study, we used the item choice paradigm, which puts chidren in a problematic situation and requires them to envision a solution by selecting one of various items. This ability was assessed in a sample of 92 preschoolers (3–6 years old), taking into account individual differences in age, gender, cognitive (verbal abilities, EFT memory) and affective (anxiety) factors, as well as contextual factors (motivational relevance). Findings indicate developmental progress in preschoolers’ foresight and in their retrospective memory for the item choice problems. The motivational valence of the EFT task played a significant role, as children performed better in the motivationally positive condition, as compared to the neutral and negative ones. However, older children had better performance than younger ones on the motivationally aversive tasks, becoming comparable to their performance in the motivationally appetitive condition. Finally, higher social anxiety was negatively related to children’s EFT performance in the aversive condition, when they anticipated negative social exposure. In conclusion, EFT was explained by age-related improvements, the motivational valence of the situation and by individual differences in social anxiety, which is highly relevant for educational and therapeutic practices.

摘要

情景未来思维 (EFT) 代表了在心理上模拟将在我们个人未来发生的情景的能力。在当前的研究中，我们使用了项目选择范式，它将儿童置于有问题的境地，并要求他们通过选择各种项目之一来设想解决方案。这种能力是在 92 名学龄前儿童（3-6 岁）的样本中进行评估的，考虑到年龄、性别、认知（语言能力、EFT 记忆）和情感（焦虑）因素以及情境因素（动机）的个体差异。关联）。结果表明学龄前儿童的远见和他们对项目选择问题的回顾性记忆的发展进步。EFT 任务的动机效价发挥了重要作用，因为儿童在积极的动机条件下表现更好，与中性和负面的相比。然而，年龄较大的孩子在动机厌恶任务上的表现比年幼的孩子更好，与他们在动机渴望条件下的表现相媲美。最后，较高的社交焦虑与儿童在厌恶条件下的 EFT 表现负相关，当他们预期负面社交暴露时。总之，EFT 可以通过与年龄相关的改善、情境的动机效价和社交焦虑的个体差异来解释，这与教育和治疗实践高度相关。较高的社交焦虑与儿童在厌恶条件下的 EFT 表现负相关，当他们预期负面社交暴露时。总之，EFT 可以通过与年龄相关的改善、情境的动机效价和社交焦虑的个体差异来解释，这与教育和治疗实践高度相关。较高的社交焦虑与儿童在厌恶条件下的 EFT 表现负相关，当他们预期负面社交暴露时。总之，EFT 可以通过与年龄相关的改善、情境的动机效价和社交焦虑的个体差异来解释，这与教育和治疗实践高度相关。