Abstract The present research explores how culture influences individuals’ psychological proximity to the past and future, which may predict differences in perceived self‐continuity across time. In Studies 1 and 2, we hypothesized and found that Chinese participants saw the past and future as more connected and subjectively closer to the present compared to Euro‐Canadians. Following this, we expected and found in Studies 3 and 4 that Chinese participants perceived greater self‐continuity over time than Euro‐Canadians. Additionally, perceived closeness to the past mediated the effect of culture on past–present self‐continuity, which subsequently predicted present–future self‐continuity. Study 5 further documented a causal effect of perceived distance to the past on self‐continuity. These results suggest that cultural differences in temporal attention to the past and future play a pivotal role in people's sense of self‐continuity across time. This has important implications for temporal focalism, intertemporal discounting, and social interactions between Chinese and Euro‐Canadians.

Li‐Jun Ji

Emily K. Hong

Tieyuan Guo

Zhiyong Zhang

Yanjie Su

Ye Li

European Journal of Social Psychology

Topics covered include, among others, intergroup relations, group processes, social cognition, attitudes, social influence and persuasion, self and identity, verbal and nonverbal communication, language and thought, affect and emotion, embodied and situated cognition and individual differences of social-psychological relevance.    Together with original research articles, the European Journal of Social Psychology"s innovative and inclusive style is reflected in the variety of articles published:    Research Article: Original articles that provide a significant contribution to the understanding of social phenomena, up to a maximum of 12,000 words in length.

The European Journal of Social Psychology covers a wide range of topics, including intergroup relations, group processes, social cognition, attitudes, social influence and persuasion, self and identity, verbal and nonverbal communication, language and thought, affect and emotion, embodied and situated cognition, and individual differences of social-psychological relevance. In addition to original research articles, the journal's innovative and inclusive style is reflected in the variety of articles published: Research Articles are original contributions that significantly enhance the understanding of social phenomena, with a maximum length of 12,000 words.

《European Journal of Social Psychology》涵盖的主题包括群际关系、群体过程、社会认知、态度、社会影响与说服、自我与身份、言语与非言语沟通、语言与思维、情感与情绪、具身与情境认知，以及与社会心理学相关的个体差异等。该期刊不仅发表原创研究文章，还以其创新和包容的风格，展示了多样化的文章类型：研究文章是指对社会现象理解有重要贡献的原创文章，字数最多为12,000字。

Category	Quartile
心理学	2
心理学, 心理学社会	2

Culture, psychological proximity to the past and future, and self‐continuity

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL	2