Futures Consciousness (FC) refers to the capacity that a person has for understanding, anticipating, and preparing for the future. In many respects, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for future thinking, implying delay discounting, uncertainty, low sense of control, and self-sacrifice for the benefit of the community at large. FC might hence have an important role in explaining people's perceptions of and reactions to the pandemic. The results of a longitudinal study over the course of the summer 2020 found that UK participants (N = 298) who reported higher scores of FC at the first time of measure were more likely to express greater satisfaction and engagement with the COVID-19 government restrictions at the second time of measure. They also reported higher compassion for others, stronger sense of neighbourliness, and greater engagement in different forms of collective action. This positive engagement translated in benefit for the self: greater perceived wellbeing, lesser emotional blunting, and greater feelings of hope about the future. Remarkably, the same participants also reported greater concern about societal issues. It hence seems that FC triggers an active and aware engagement with the future. We discuss implications for future-thinking research and interventions aiming to improve Futures Consciousness.

未来意识（FC）是指一个人对未来的理解、预测和准备的能力。在许多方面，COVID-19 大流行对未来思维构成了挑战，意味着延迟贴现、不确定性、控制感低以及为了整个社区的利益而做出的自我牺牲。因此，FC 在解释人们对这一流行病的看法和反应方面可能发挥重要作用。 2020 年夏季的一项纵向研究结果发现，在第一次测量时报告 FC 分数较高的英国参与者 ( N = 298) 更有可能对 COVID-19 政府限制表示更大的满意度和参与度在第二次测量时。他们还表示对他人有更高的同情心，有更强的睦邻意识，并且更多地参与不同形式的集体行动。这种积极的参与转化为自我的利益：更大的幸福感、更少的情感迟钝以及对未来更大的希望。值得注意的是，这些参与者还表示对社会问题更加关注。因此，FC 似乎引发了人们对未来的积极而有意识的参与。我们讨论了旨在提高未来意识的未来思维研究和干预措施的影响。