When does time perspective matter? Self-control as a moderator between time perspective and academic achievement

This study examined how individual differences in self-control moderated the relationship between time perspective and academic achievement, consistent with self-regutatory theory. The results, based on 255 participants, revealed that college students with a future time perspective reported higher GPAs, while students with a present time perspective had lower GPAs, even when controlling for differences in demographic variables. However, in support of the moderation hypothesis, these relationships were only present in low self-control students. For students who reported higher perceptions of self-control, the only significant predictors of GPA were ACT scores, race, and sex. These results were interpreted as providing empirical support for the importance of self-control as a mechanism that influences the link between dispositions and behavioral outcomes. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.