Relationship Between Future Time Orientation and Item Nonresponse on Subjective Probability Questions

A Cross-Cultural Analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID7842860
AuthorsSunghee Lee (0000-0001-7855-1396, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA), Sung‐Hee Lee (0000-0001-6604-4709, University of Michigan, corresponding author), Mingnan Liu (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA), Mengyao Hu (0000-0002-9044-9009, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA)
Year2017
Volume48
Issue5
Pages698-717
Publication date2017-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Cross-Cultural Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0221 • E-ISSN: 1552-5422
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0022022117698572
PMID28781381
OpenAlexW2595210684
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited62

Time orientation is an unconscious yet fundamental cognitive process that provides a framework for organizing personal experiences in temporal categories of past, present, and future, reflecting the relative emphasis given to these categories. Culture lies central to individuals’ time orientation, leading to cultural variations in time orientation. For example, people from future-oriented cultures tend to emphasize the future and store information relevant for the future more than those from present- or past-oriented cultures. For survey questions that ask respondents to report expected probabilities of future events, this may translate into culture-specific question difficulties, manifested through systematically varying “I don’t know” item nonresponse rates. This study drew on the time orientation theory and examined culture-specific nonresponse patterns on subjective probability questions using methodologically comparable population-based surveys from multiple countries. The results supported our hypothesis. Item nonresponse rates on these questions varied significantly in the way that future orientation at the group as well as individual level was associated with lower nonresponse rates. This pattern did not apply to nonprobability questions. Our study also suggested potential nonresponse bias. Examining culture-specific constructs, such as time orientation, as a framework for measurement mechanisms may contribute to improving cross-cultural research

Orientation (vector space · Statistics · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Mathematics · Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology