Abstract:

In the current global context of escalating intergroup conflicts, psychological time frame offers a novel approach to promoting intergroup helping behavior, thereby contributing to the mitigation of social conflicts and the more equitable redistribution of resources. Compared to traditional approaches that focus on a single time point, this study may offer a more effective means of promoting intergroup helping behavior by incorporating multiple time points. Specifically, we construct a multidimensional model of psychological time perspective that integrates both cognitive and emotional components.

This multidimensional model of psychological time perspective integrates four key dimensions: Time orientation, mental time travel, temporal comparison processes, and time attitude. It enables a systematic examination of the distinct emphases within each dimension. Furthermore, the model facilitates the organization of combinations across past, present, and future time points, thereby broadening the potential application modes of psychological time frames. Critically, integrating these multiple time perspectives offers insights into the underlying mechanisms by which each psychological time frame influences intergroup helping behavior. Such elucidation is essential, as it enables researchers to flexibly select appropriate psychological time frames, conduct in-depth comparisons of their relative strengths and limitations, and expand the theoretical and practical pathways for facilitating intergroup helping behavior. Importantly, this model explores psychological time frames not only at the individual level but also highlights the unique role of the collective time perspective. Findings derived from individual-level psychological time frames cannot be directly extrapolated to the collective time perspective, underscoring the need for dedicated investigation into the collective time perspective. As collective time perspective constitutes an indispensable form of time representation in social life, examining the individual time perspective alone provides an incomplete picture. By integrating the collective psychological time frame, the model offers a more comprehensive understanding of how multidimensional time perspectives affect intergroup helping behavior.

Firstly, this study builds on the aforementioned four multidimensional time perspectives and explicates their roles in facilitating intergroup helping behavior through dual systems: The individual level and the collective level. Time orientation emphasizes individuals’ attentional preference toward specific time points. Mental time travel involves the directional spatiotemporal projection between two time points, grounded in self-awareness and affective memory. Temporal comparison processes entail dynamic comparisons of contextual factors and outcomes across distinct time points, focusing on comparative mechanisms. Time attitude focuses on individuals’ positive or negative affect toward particular temporal nodes. Existing research has demonstrated that these multidimensional time perspectives can, under certain conditions, positively influence intergroup helping behavior.

Moreover, although the influence of multidimensional time perspectives on intergroup helping behavior reveals certain connections—such as cross-perspective consistency of time frames, dual-level analysis (individual and collective), and positive effect—significant differences remain. These differences are primarily reflected in the distinct underlying mechanisms through which each time perspective exerts its influence. Based on continuity motive theory, the meaning maintenance model, temporal comparison theory, and the broaden-and-build theory, this study sequentially delineates the unique contributions of multidimensional temporal perspectives to facilitating intergroup helping behavior. Specifically, it highlights the mediating roles of key internal mechanisms: Self-continuity, meaning in life, self-esteem, and gratitude.

Although all four temporal perspectives have been shown to promote intergroup helping behavior, their positive effects are not uniformly achievable across all conditions. Rather, maximizing the impact of multidimensional time perspectives requires the flexible application of contextually appropriate strategies, tailored to specific situational factors and individual characteristics. Accordingly, guided by ecological systems theory, this study investigates the contextual adaptability of key moderating factors, such as age, psychological distance from events, urban tightness-looseness culture, and objective socioeconomic status.

Finally, this study highlights several directions for future research. First, greater attention should be paid to the role of positive or negative emotions within each psychological time frame. Second, future studies should explore the influence of offspring-related considerations on intergroup helping behavior, including their impact and boundary conditions. Third, comparative investigations are needed to examine how individual and collective psychological time perspectives affect intergroup helping behavior across different cultural contexts. Four, researchers should assess the effects and underlying mechanisms of psychological time perspectives in relation to various forms of intergroup helping behavior. Lastly, there is a need to develop a multidimensional, contextually adaptive model aimed at effectively promoting intergroup helping behavior.

Key words: intergroup helping behavior, multidimensional psychological time perspectives, time orientation, mental time travel, temporal comparison processes, time attitude