Connected to the future, life is more meaningful: the effect of future self-continuity on the presence of meaning

Although studies have confirmed that future self-continuity impacts the presence of meaning, evidence of cross-cultural consistency remains scarce, and the underlying mechanisms between the two are unclear. To fill this research gap, we conducted two studies using a sample of Chinese college students (N = 631). Study 1 verified the positive predictive effect of future self-continuity on the presence of meaning in the context of Eastern culture through two sub-experiments (n = 325), thereby confirming its cross-cultural consistency. Study 2, a three-wave longitudinal study, revealed the mediating mechanisms through which future self-continuity affects the presence of meaning (n = 306). The results suggest that future self-continuity at Time 1 can directly predict the presence of meaning at Time 3 and indirectly predict the presence of meaning at Time 3 through self-concept clarity at Time 2. Thus, self-concept clarity partially mediates the relationship between future self-continuity and the presence of meaning. These findings enrich cross-cultural research on the presence of meaning and provide new ideas and methods for enhancing the presence of meaning in individual lives.