Based on an integrative self-regulatory framework, we examined the implications of viewing one’s anticipated future health as a goal (desired for the future) or a standard (desired at present). Two studies, one experimental (N = 747; M age = 25; 54% female) and one correlational (N = 407; M age = 24; 55% female), assessed beliefs about future health, affect, motivation, health behaviour intentions (both studies), and health behaviour choices (Study 2). In both studies, whether anticipated future health functioned as a goal or as a standard did not moderate the predictive effects of the magnitude of perceived discrepancy and perceived rate of discrepancy reduction between one’s current and anticipated future health. However, greater perceived discrepancy reduction predicted more positive affect, greater motivation, and stronger health behaviour intentions. Thus, irrespective of whether future health functions as a goal or a standard, it may be most productive to perceive a greater rate of progress toward a healthier future.

基于一个综合的自我监管框架，我们研究了将一个人预期的未来健康视为目标（未来期望）或标准（目前期望）的含义。两项研究，一项实验性（N  = 747；M年龄 = 25；54% 女性）和一项相关性（N  = 407；M年龄 = 24; 55% 女性），评估关于未来健康、情感、动机、健康行为意图（两项研究）和健康行为选择（研究 2）的信念。在这两项研究中，无论将预期的未来健康作为目标还是作为标准，都不会减弱感知差异的幅度和感知的当前和预期未来健康之间差异减少率的预测效果。然而，更大的感知差异减少预示着更多的积极影响、更大的动机和更强的健康行为意图。因此，无论未来的健康是作为一个目标还是一个标准，感知到朝着更健康的未来取得更大进展的速度可能是最有成效的。