Time perspective links subjective socioeconomic status to decision difficulty in China and the United States

This study examined the mediating role of time perspective in the relationship between subjective socioeconomic status (SES) and decision difficulty in China and the United States. A survey of 1,288 participants from China and 1,008 participants from the United States revealed that subjective SES was associated with lower decision difficulty in China but higher decision difficulty in the United States. Having a negative perception of the past (past-negative time perspective) and feeling that life outcomes are beyond one’s control (present-fatalistic time perspective) mediated this relationship, but there were cultural differences. In China, high SES was associated with low present-fatalistic time perspective and past-negative time perspective, while in the United States, the opposite was true. In addition, future-orientated time perspective inhibited decision difficulty in China but not in the United States. These culturally distinct pathways highlight the importance of context-sensitive psychological interventions and decision-support strategies.