Futures Consciousness
Futurists talk about future consciousness, but what is it, actually? How does a future conscious person or organization look like, what kinds of features or traits do they have?
Our research team has developed a sufficiently simple concept of Five Dimensions of Futures Consciousness to be used in empirical research. The concept has served as a basis for a psychometric Futures Consciousness Scale with which the prevalence of future consciousness could be measured within individuals. By studying individual profiles, we can learn more about how future consciousness can be developed and enhanced amongst individuals and societies. To endorse collaboration in between researchers interested in using the Futures Consciousness Scale in their research projects, we are in the process of setting up a database to gather and compare test results.
The research has been funded by Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation, University of Turku, University of Geneva and Kone Foundation.
> Find out more about Futures Consciousness Test Database.
Articles
- Lalot, F., Ahvenharju, S., Minkkinen, M. & Wensing, E. (2019) Aware of the future? Development and validation of the Futures Consciousness Scale. European Journal of Psychological Assessment. http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000565
- Ahvenharju, S., Lalot, F., Minkkinen, M., & Quiamzade, A. (2021) Individual futures consciousness: Psychology behind the five-dimensional futures consciousness scale. Futures : The Journal of Policy, Planning and Futures Studies, 128, 102708. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102708
- Ahvenharju, S. (2021) Acceptability of radical consumption policies – utilising futures consciousness to understand elite preferences. Futures : The Journal of Policy, Planning and Futures Studies, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102711
- Lalot, F., Abrams, D., Ahvenharju, S., & Minkkinen, M. (2021) Being future-conscious during a global crisis: The protective effect of heightened futures consciousness in the COVID-19 pandemic. Personality and Individual Differences, 178, 110862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110862
- Lalot, F., Ahvenharju, S. & Minkkinen, M. (2021) Aware of the Future? Adaptation and Refinement of the Futures Consciousness Scale. Psychological Test Adaptation and Development
https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/2698-1866/a000014 - Ahvenharju, S., Minkkinen, M. & Lalot, F. (2018) The five dimensions of Futures Consciousness. Futures, 104, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2018.06.010
Presentations
- Ahvenharju & Minkkinen (2019) Researching futures consciousness. Technique workshop at the 3rd International Conference on Anticipation, Oslo, Norway, 9-11 October 2019.
- Ahvenharju, Minkkinen & Lalot (2018) The five dimensions of Futures Consciousness. Poster at the Energyizing Futures – Sustainable Development and Energy in Transition conference, Tampere, Finland, 13–14 June 2018.
- Ahvenharju, Minkkinen & Lalot (2018) The five dimensions of Futures Consciousness and how to measure it. Poster at the Future-oriented Technology Analysis (FTA 2018) conference, Brussels, Belgium, 4–5 June 2018.
- Ahvenharju, Minkkinen & Lalot (2017) The five dimensions of futures consciousness and how to measure them. Special session at the 18th International Futures Conference ‘Futures of a Complex World’, Turku, Finland, 12–13 June 2017.
Matti, Fanny and Sanna in Turku during summer 2017.
