Utilities of Mental Time Travel: How memory and future planning can allow humans to flourish

Goal

We humans have incredible abilities to mentally travel back and forward in time, to remember and envision. Basic research in neuroscience and psychology has enhanced our understanding of the neural mechanisms of mental time travel. Interdisciplinary applied research is needed, however, to better leverage this innate human ability. This approach is crucial in our current time, a time in which many people could live a century-long life. The lengthening of life expectancy is well-acknowledged. What has yet to be fully appreciated is that long lives entail the condition that people have a prolonged past and future to hold onto. The life lived and yet to be lived is meaningful food for thought. The goal is to identify the content and thinking processes that motivate people to set goals and take actions accordingly across life domains (e.g., financial planning, healthy lifestyle, social engagement) through laboratory experiments and field studies. Impediments and conditions that may offset adaptive use of mental time travel such as negative emotions (e.g., fear, regret) would also be studied. Subsequent educational intervention programs are expected to be developed and delivered. This will bring us closer to having low-cost thinking toolkits that promote human thriving.

Opportunity

While research on mental time travel is booming, the scope of applied research remains limited. We have the opportunity to be inclusive by testing its utilities across life domains among people with varying personal history. Findings can provide insight into the nature of mental time travel: Are remembering and envisioning two sides of the same coin as suggested by their neural connectivity so that each offers similar gain? Are the ways people think about the future bounded by the past? How may technology enhance vivid imagination?

Roadblocks

Mental time travel involves complex processes. To name a few, memory and learning, time perception, and motivation all play a role. Also, some life domains may be more popular than others. The main challenge would be to have a consensus on research specifics to be carried out. Another challenge would be to get experts with basic and applied research interests to devote an equivalent amount of time and effort. Scientists who conduct basic research may not be particularly interested in extending findings to a non-laboratory setting. Field research requires lots of communication to get various parties to approve a protocol.

Breakthroughs Needed

We can assemble advisory councils and have members of the committees who are experts in related fields to create a grand plan. It should at least lay out a list of questions, fundamental theories and paradigms in each area, targeted outcomes in each life domain, and potential venues that may welcome field studies and interventions. Ideal council members would include basic and applied researchers and community leaders who are interested in evidence-based interventions. They will also serve to evaluate proposed projects and the progress of the awarded projects down the road. To successfully bridge research and practice, all research teams must bring on board experienced project managers and coordinators.

Key Indicators of Success

Year 1: Can we successfully form advisory councils, recruit members, develop a grand plan, call for proposals, and fund team projects?
3 years: Do we have some findings to suggest techniques to motivate people to engage in planning long lives? Have research teams started to prepare for field research and interventions (e.g., reaching out to 1-2 potential local partners)? Do advisory council members feel satisfied with the scientific rigor and progress?
5 years: Has academic-community partnership been built (most teams are expected to have completed this step)? Have protocols for interventions been established and ready for review by community partners?

Additional Information

The proposed idea to examine the utilities of mental time travel across life domains is grounded in what has been established in the literature including your work. The goal of conducting large-scale collaborative research that engages partners from local communities is to extend this line of research to everyday life context and generate accessible programs for the public. This is a topic that can well bridge research and practice.
Expert reviewers:
• Dr. Annette Bohn, https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/annette-bohn(63156000-0ce0-4610-b068-ee3354380b04).html
• Dr. Arnaud D'Argembeau, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3618-9768
• Dr. Simon Grondin, https://www.fss.ulaval.ca/notre-faculte/repertoire-du-personnel/simon-grondin
• Dr. Hal Hershfield, https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/faculty-and-research/marketing/faculty/hershfield
• Dr. Steve MJ Janssen, https://www.nottingham.edu.my/Psychology/People/steve.janssen