The relationship between four indicators of future time orientation, criminal thinking style, and illegal behaviors

Individuals who commit criminal behaviors are often thought to prioritize short-term goals rather than long-term goals (i.e., a present vs. a future time orientation). Though previous theories of crime and empirical research support a relationship among future time orientation, criminal thinking, and illegal behaviors, there is disagreement in the literature about how to operationalize the multidimensional construct of future time orientation. The primary aim of this pre-registered survey study was to measure multiple components of future time orientation to better understand the relationship with criminality-related outcomes. Participants were 248 undergraduate college students. Survey materials included a measure of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11), self-control (Brief Self-Control Scale), delay discounting (Monetary Choice Questionnaire), and Carstensen's Future Time Perspective Scale. Participants also completed two measures of criminal thinking style (the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale, the Criminogenic Cognitions Scale) and an illegal behaviors checklist. Bivariate results demonstrated a negative relationship between future time orientation (i.e., low impulsivity, high self-control, high future time perspective) and criminal thinking style. The relationship between delay discounting and criminal thinking was in the hypothesized direction but failed to reach statistical significance. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the measure of self-control had the most consistent and incrementally significant relationship with both criminal thinking style and illegal behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed along with study limitations and future directions.