The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI)
Psychometrics and Scoring Key
(5-Factor Solution; 36.0% of variance explained)
(N=606)
(CSM Fall 1996 (205), Stanford Preselection Winter 1996 (76) and Spring 1996 (224) Samples), Winter 1997 (99)
Scoring Instructions
Before scoring the ZTPI, 5 items must be reverse coded. For the items that
are reverse coded (9, 24, 25, 41, & 56):
“1” becomes a “5”
“2” becomes a “4”
“3” becomes a “3”
“4” becomes a “2”
“5” becomes a “1”
After reverse coding the 5 items, add your scores for the items that comprise
each factor. After adding your scores for each factor, divide the total score
by the number of questions that comprise each factor. This results in an
average score for each of the five factors. These are the formulas:
Past Negative
Add your scores on items 4, 5, 16, 22, 27, 33, 34, 36, 50, & 54. Then divide this
number by 10.
Present Hedonistic
Add your scores on items 1, 8, 12, 17, 19, 23, 26, 28, 31, 32, 42, 44, 46, 48, &
55. Then divide this number by 15.
Future
Add your scores on items 6, 9 (reverse coded), 10, 13, 18, 21, 24 (reverse coded),
30, 40, 43, 45, 51, 56 (reverse coded). Then divide this number by 13.
Past Positive
Add your scores on items 2, 7, 11, 15, 20, 25 (reverse coded), 29, 41 (reverse
coded), & 49. Then divide this number by 9.
Present Fatalistic
Add your scores on items 3, 14, 35, 37, 38, 39, 47, 52, & 53. Then divide this
number by 9.
Final Version
April 2000
KMO Measure of Sampling Adequacy = .83
Factor #1: Past Negative (Eigen = 6.86; 12.3% of var; n = 10; = .82)
Mean=2.98 SD=.72 Min=1.00 Max=5.00
No. Loading Question
50 .759 I think about the bad things that have happened to me in the past.
16 .694 Painful past experiences keep being replayed in my mind.
34 .674 It’s hard for me to forget unpleasant images of my youth.
04 .657 I often think of what I should have done differently in my life.
54 .630 I think about the good things that I have missed out on in my life.
27 .547 I’ve made mistakes in the past that I wish that I could undo.
22 .490 I’ve taken my share of abuse and rejection in the past.
36 .472 Even when I am enjoying the present, I am drawn back to comparisons with
similar past experiences.
33 .434 Things rarely work out as I expected.
05 .407 My decisions are mostly influenced by people and things around me.
Factor # 2: Present Hedonistic (Eigen = 5.01; 8.9% of var; n = 15; = .79)
Mean=3.44 SD=.51 Min=2.00 Max=4.80
No. Loading Question
42 .707 I take risks to put excitement in my life.
31 .702 Taking risks keeps my life from becoming boring.
26 .558 It is important to put excitement in my life.
23 .515 I make decisions on the spur of the moment.
08 .506 I do things impulsively.
17 .501 I try to live my life as fully as possible, one day at a time.
48 .454 I prefer friends who are spontaneous rather than predictable.
32 .452 It is more important for me to enjoy life’s journey than to focus only on the
destination.
44 .448 I often follow my heart more than my head.
55 .445 I like my close relationships to be passionate.
46 .445 I find myself getting swept up in the excitement of the moment.
01 .424 I believe that getting together with one’s friends to party is one of life’s
important pleasures.
19 .381 Ideally, I would live each day as if it were my last.
28 .360 I feel that it’s more important to enjoy what you are doing than to get work
done on time.
12 .323 When listening to my favorite music, I often lose all track of time.
Factor #3: Future (Eigen = 3.54; 6.3% var; n = 13; = .77)
Mean=3.47 SD=.54 Min=1.62 Max=4.85
No. Loading Question
13 .628 Meeting tomorrow’s deadline and doing other necessary work comes before
tonight’s play.
40 .614 I complete projects on time by making steady progress.
45 .611 I am able to resist temptations when I know that there is work to be done.
10 .556 When I want to achieve something, I set goals and consider specific means
for reaching those goals.
51 .507 I keep working at difficult uninteresting work if it will help me get ahead.
18 .478 It upsets me to be late for appointments.
Final Version
April 2000
06 .463 I believe that a person’s day should be planned ahead each morning.
21 .461 I meet my obligations to friends and authorities on time.
43 .455 I make lists of things to do.
30 .374 Before making a decision, I weight the costs against the benefits.
09 -.335 If things don’t get done on time, I don’t worry about it.
56 -.365 There will always be time to catch up on my work.
24 -.491 I take each day as it is rather than try to plan it out.
Factor #4: Past Positive (Eigen = 2.53; 4.5% var; n = 9; = .80)
Mean=3.71 SD=.64 Min=1.56 Max=5.00
No. Loading Question
07 .677 It gives me pleasure to think about my past.
29 .645 I get nostalgic about my childhood.
20 .637 Happy memories of good times spring readily to mind.
11 .627 On balance, there is much more good to recall that bad in my past.
15 .627 I enjoy stories about how things used to be in the “good old times”.
02 .620 Familiar childhood sights, sounds, and smells often bring back a flood of
wonderful memories.
49 .470 I like family rituals and traditions that are regularly repeated.
41 -.448 I find myself tuning out when family members talk about the way things
used to be.
25 -.522 The past has too many unpleasant memories that I prefer not to think about.
Factor #5: Present Fatalistic (Eigen = 2.21; 3.9% var; n = 9; = .74)
Mean=2.37 SD=.60 Min=1.0 Max=4.67
No. Loading Question
38 .731 My life path is controlled by forces I cannot influence.
39 .682 It doesn’t make sense to worry about the future, since there is nothing that I
can do about it anyway.
14 .636 Since whatever will be will be, it doesn’t really matter what I do.
37 .588 You can’t really plan for the future because things change so much.
53 .455 Often luck pays off better than hard work.
03 .443 Fate determines much in my life.
35 .421 It takes joy out of the process and flow of my activities, if I have to think
about goals, outcomes, and products.
47 .420 Life today is too complicated; I would prefer the simpler life of the past.
52 .338 Spending what I earn of pleasures today is better than saving for tomorrow’s
security.
Final Version
April 2000
