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Episodic future thinking

Atance, Cristina M., O'Neill, Daniela K.·2001·Trends in Cognitive Sciences
DOI 10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01804-0
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Abstract

Thinking about the future is an integral component of human cognition - one that has been claimed to distinguish us from other species. Building on the construct of episodic memory, we introduce the concept of 'episodic future thinking': a projection of the self into the future to pre-experience an event. We argue that episodic future thinking has explanatory value when considering recent work in many areas of psychology: cognitive, social and personality, developmental, clinical and neuropsychology. Episodic future thinking can serve as a unifying concept, connecting aspects of diverse research findings and identifying key questions requiring further reflection and study.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01804-0

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  • Previous studies comparing episodic memory and future thinking could not make this distinction because these features were present to a similar degree in autobiographical memories and personal future scenarios.

    “Previous studies that have compared episodic memory and future thinking were unable to make this distinction because these features were present to a similar degree in both autobiographical memories and personal future scenarios (Atance and O'Neill, 2001; Addis et al., 2007; Szpunar et al., 2007).”

    From Using Imagination to Understand the Neural Basis of Episodic Memory (2007) · cites this paper as Atance and O'Neill, 2001

  • Episodic future thinking and recalling past events share many underlying processes, including scene construction, self-schema processing, self-projection in time, and a sense of familiarity.

    “Indeed, when viewed in terms of component processes, episodic future thinking (Atance and O'Neill, 2001) and recalling past events share many of the same underlying processes. These include not only scene construction (which they have in common with imagining fictitious experiences) but also self-schema processing, self-projection in time (forwards instead of backwards in the case of future”

    From Using Imagination to Understand the Neural Basis of Episodic Memory (2007) · cites this paper as Atance and O'Neill, 2001

  • Episodic memory and imagination emerge at similar times during childhood, and in adulthood individual differences in emotion regulation and mental imagery correlate similarly with past and future events.

    “Psychological research has demonstrated that episodic memory and imagination emerge at similar times during childhood (Atance & O'Neill, 2001), and that in adulthood, individual differences in emotion regulation and mental imagery abilities are correlated similarly with past and future events (D' Argembeau & van der Linden, 2006).”

    From Mental Time Travel? A Neurocognitive Model of Event Simulation. (2020) · cites this paper as Atance & O'Neill, 2001

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Authors
Atance, C. M., & O'Neill, D. K.
Affiliations
University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
Atance, Cristina M.
ORCID
Atance, Cristina M.
Venue
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2001-12
Volume
5
Issue
12
Pages
533-539
ISSN
1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01804-0
OpenAlex
W2104128137
Cited by
1,300
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 71 · 2025: 90 · 2024: 78 · 2023: 76 · 2022: 80 · 2021: 74 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 117 · 2018: 81 · 2017: 69 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 71 · 2014: 61 · 2013: 56 · 2012: 61
FWCI
0.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Keywords
episodic future thinking, episodic memory, future thinking, self-projection, human cognition, conceptual unification, cognitive psychology, social psychology, personality, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, neuropsychology

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