Fall Research Expo 2020

Predictive Validity of the Pragmatic Prospection Scale

Historically, psychologists have focused on how people think about the past or present. However, recent research suggests that how people think about the future is at least as important for their functional outcomes. Pragmatic prospection (PP) is an adaptive future-thinking construct that has four major components: imagining desired future outcomes, setting sensible goals, making plans, and flexible executing plans. Given that PP facilitates the successful pursuit and attainment of one’s goals, PP (as measured by the Pragmatic Prospection Scale, or PPS) may be associated with students’ achievement and wellness outcomes.

To test our hypothesis, we recruited 140 Penn undergraduates who completed the PPS during the months of November to February. In April, we followed up with the same students, asking them questions about their achievement and wellness behaviors. In particular, students took a self-report measure that our lab created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, called the Behavioral Reactions to Coronavirus Disruption Scale (BRCD). The BRCD assessed Penn students’ prospection-related behaviors during the university’s extended Spring Break and transition to remote learning. For example, one item asked students, “During the extended Spring Break, to what extent did you apply for summer internships or job opportunities?”

We found that PPS score was indeed a robust predictor of students’ achievement and wellness behaviors. Higher scores were associated with less frequent procrastination, better academic preparation during the university’s extended Spring Break, and greater flourishing––even during a time of heightened uncertainty and stress. Intriguingly, PPS score was not correlated with grade point average, likely because grades are affected by many other variables such as course load and rigor. Nonetheless, our results suggest that pragmatic prospection is a psychologically adaptive trait and cognitive protective factor among college students. Our next steps will involve developing interventions that seek to enhance people’s pragmatic prospection abilities, with the ultimate goal of improving their functional outcomes.

PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021
Advised By
Ayelet Meron Ruscio
Join Tiffany for a virtual discussion
PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021
Advised By
Ayelet Meron Ruscio

Comments

Hi Tiffany, this is a really interesting and cool topic! I'm curious as to whether there was a noticeable difference in progress or accomplishments between individuals with more ambitious versus less ambitious goals. Thanks!

Hi Tiffany,

Great job with your poster and presentation. I really liked how you were able to incorporate psychological responses to coronavirus. Do you think PPS scores could eventually be used with college admissions, similar to an SAT score? I'd be interested to see the scope of such a test and how it could be incorporated in professional development.

Elisa

Tiffany, 

Great project and research ideas! As I was going through your project on pragmatic prospection and its effects, I was very surprised about its relationship with greater success and achievements in individuals. I was wondering what kinds of ideas in terms of "interventions" you and your lab-mate had perhaps developed since writing this project up. Furthermore, I was wondering if there are plans for a continuation of further longitudinal studies in this sample, as the COVID crisis is a continuously evolving situation, with new developments likely to have impacted individuals differently. 

Thanks for the great presentation! 

Junyoung

Hi Tiffany! Great poster.

When you began this project what was the intention/goals of the original PPS survey? It's really interesting timing that you were able to measure student's PPS score just prior to this pandemic. Where did the idea come from to administer a follow-up survey in response to COVID-19. Was it difficult to change the direction of the original research? 

Overall this is such a fascinating work! I think it will be something really important to look back on to understand how COVID-19 has affected our lives and how student's have had to adapt to learning virtually.