A Review of Temporal Self-Perceptions Among Emerging Adults: The Significance of Demographics and a Global Crisis on Psychological and Achievement Benefits.

In industrialized societies, emerging adulthood is a unique developmental stage between adolescence and adulthood (i.e., 18 to 29 years old), where individuals continuously encounter decisions that have important consequences that unfold over time (i.e., intertemporal decisions). The present review paper had three aims. The first aim was to provide a brief overview of emerging adulthood as a developmental stage and present a rationale for the importance of understanding the relationship between temporal self-perceptions and longitudinal outcomes in emerging adults. The second aim was to review evidence for a proposed model demonstrating the connection between three domains of temporal self-perceptions-future self-perceptions, longitudinal changes in future self-perceptions, and continuity between temporal selves (i.e., past-to-future)-, self-regulatory processes, and positive downstream consequences (e.g., psychological well-being and academic success) in emerging adults. Specifically, this targeted review sought to highlight research exploring the longitudinal processes in these relationships (e.g., changes in temporal self-perceptions over time and the relationship between temporal self-perceptions and longitudinal outcomes) and testing how these relationships function amidst a large-scale challenge (i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic). Given the heterogeneity of emerging adults as a demographic group, the third aim was to review research exploring demographic factors (e.g., gender and socioeconomic status) as a potential moderator of these relationships. The review provided support for the proposed model, highlighting the importance of perceptions of temporal selves in predicting a range of positive long-term outcomes, including self-regulatory processes, psychological well-being, and achievement. Additionally, the review demonstrated preliminary support for the significance of crucial demographic factors (e.g., gender and socioeconomic status) in understanding the nature of these relationships in emerging adults. Finally, the review suggests future directions to extend this growing literature and broaden the understanding of these relationships.