You are currently viewing Looking back to look forward and All about ‘prospection’

Looking back to look forward and All about ‘prospection’

Looking back to get a better idea about looking forward

In: Deep time is, like, really, really deep, man, Ann Reid asks us to reconsider our place in the larger scheme of things.

Ann asks: Have you heard the joke about the museum guide who, when asked about the sign explaining that dinosaurs became extinct 65,000,004 years ago, replied, “When we put up the exhibit, the experts told us that dinosaurs had been extinct for 65,000,000 years. That was four years ago!”

Pretty silly, I know, but it’s no joke that people are really not very good at understanding vast stretches of time. In fact, maybe you’d be willing to test yourself before you read further. On a piece of paper, draw a long, vertical line. This is your Earth timeline. Label the bottom of the line with your best estimate of the age of the Earth. Proceeding upward, add the following events at the approximate time they happened: emergence of life, arrival of the dinosaurs, disappearance of four-legged dinosaurs, and appearance of humans.       Full story with great graphics here.

…………………………………………………………….

A bit of ‘prospection’ might be a good thing
Living in the moment is trending right now, but should it be taken in isolation or held within a larger perspective.

Research suggests that thinking about the future—a process known as ‘prospection’—can help us lead more generous and fulfilled lives.

In: How Thinking About the Future Makes Life More Meaningful, Summer Allen, in Greater Good Magazine, May 1, 2019, writes that …

Mindfulness is all the rage these days, and for good reason. Focusing on the moment can improve our well-being, foster compassion, and help our relationships. What about going beyond the present moment? Yes, thinking about the future can trigger anxiety—but a growing body of research suggests that it can also make our lives more meaningful.

Humans aren’t alone in having some ability to consider the future, a process that scientists call ‘prospection’. After all, your dog gets excited when they see you holding a leash because they anticipate a walk is imminent; your cat may show similar excitement at the sound of a can being opened. There’s even evidence that some animals—like bonobos and ravens—can choose and save tools that they plan to use in the future.

1. Helps us make more prudent decisions:  Perhaps one of the most fundamental and important functions of ‘prospection’ is that it helps us decide how to act: Thinking about what the future likely holds helps us decide what course to take in the here-and-now.

2. Motivates us to achieve our goals (if we do it right):  ‘Prospection’ has another important application: It motivates us to achieve our goals. But the relationship here is not a simple one. Work by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen and colleagues shows that whether thinking about the future helps us actually reach our goals depends on how we think about the future.

 3. Improves psychological well-being:  Besides helping us make decisions and reach our goals, there is evidence that ‘prospection’ may improve psychological health more generally. It might even help people who are struggling with depression and those recovering from trauma.

4. Makes us more kind and generous:  How we think about the future doesn’t just influence our own lives. It can also influence how we treat other people. Full story here.  

…. First appeared in MMM Issue #45, June-July 2024