Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Future self
open-in-new
<p>In the <a href="/facts/Psychology_of_self/b2fvRgrA">psychology of self</a>, the future self concerns the processes and consequences associated with thinking about <a href="/facts/Self/WjDCh04P">oneself</a> in the <a href="/facts/Future/c48DtBvI">future</a>. People think about their future selves similarly to how they think about other people. The extent to which people feel psychologically connected (e.g., <a href="/facts/Similarity_(psychology)/DtfFKVwA">similarity</a>, closeness) to their future self influences how well they treat their future self. When people feel connected to their future self, they are more likely to save for <a href="/facts/Retirement/lF0UHLuk">retirement</a>, make healthy decisions, and avoid ethical transgressions. Interventions that increase feelings of connectedness with future selves can improve future-oriented decision making across these domains. </p>