人口老化提高了個人主動為晚年生活做準備的必要性，但目前對於支持個體在成年期進行此類準備的心理歷程仍缺乏充分了解。本論文以生命史理論（Life-History Theory）為基礎，提出「認知－時間－宏觀文化老化準備模型」（Cognitive-Temporal Macro-Cultural Model of Aging Preparation, CT-MC），探討認知適應力（cognitive adaptability, CA）、時間認知與文化如何與晚年準備的知覺起始時間相關。認知適應力由好奇心與衍生性（generativity）所代表，而時間認知則由未來時間觀（future time perspective, FTP）與時間折扣（time discounting, TD）所代表。
本研究採用來自德國、捷克共和國、美國、香港與臺灣共1,686名成年人的橫斷面資料。結果顯示，在控制社會人口學與健康因素之前，好奇心會隨年齡顯著下降；相較之下，衍生性僅在控制這些因素之後才呈現隨年齡顯著增加的趨勢。不同年齡層的分析進一步顯示，好奇心的心理社會前因會隨成年發展而有所轉變，從較年輕成年期以未來導向因素為主，逐漸轉向晚年較具衍生性與意義導向的因素；其中，生命意義的存在感是跨年齡層最一致的衍生性預測因子。
較高的好奇心與衍生性整體而言與較早知覺到應開始進行晚年準備有關。然而，未來時間觀呈現出一種「時間充裕悖論」：較高的認知適應力與較具延展性的未來時間觀相關，而後者在部分情況下又與較晚的知覺準備時間相關。在跨國比較方面，美國、德國與捷克共和國參與者的認知適應力整體上高於臺灣與香港參與者，而美國與德國參與者在若干準備領域中傾向回報較早的準備起始年齡。CT-MC各變項之間存在國籍差異，但調節分析並未顯示國籍會一致且系統性地改變模型中的關係路徑。
本研究結果對於政府與高齡照護相關機構推動全生命歷程的適應性老化具有實務意涵。針對高齡者，介入措施可透過具有意義的參與來強化認知適應力；對較年輕與中年成年人而言，相關政策則可在培養未來導向思考的同時，提供支持以促進及時的晚年準備，進而提升高齡社會的整體社會韌性。

Population aging increases the need for individuals to prepare proactively for later life, yet less is known about the psychological processes that support such preparation across adulthood. Grounded in Life-History Theory, this dissertation proposed the Cognitive-Temporal Macro-Cultural (CT-MC) Model of Aging Preparation to examine how cognitive adaptability (CA), time cognition, and culture are associated with perceived timing for late-life preparation. CA was represented by curiosity and generativity, while time cognition was represented by future time perspective (FTP) and time discounting (TD).
Using cross-sectional data from 1,686 adults in Germany, the Czech Republic, United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, curiosity significantly declined with age before controlling for sociodemographic and health differences, whereas generativity significantly increased with age only after these factors were controlled. Age-specific analyses suggested that the psychosocial antecedents of curiosity shifted from future-oriented factors in younger adulthood toward more generative and meaning-oriented factors in later life, while presence of meaning was the most consistent predictor of generativity.
Higher curiosity and generativity were generally associated with earlier perceived preparation for later life. However, FTP revealed a time-abundance paradox: greater CA was associated with a more expansive future perspective, which was sometimes associated with later perceived preparation timing. Participants in the United States, Germany, and Czech Republic generally reported higher CA than those in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while the United States and Germany tended to report earlier preparation ages. Nationality differences were evident across CT-MC variables, but moderation analyses did not reveal a consistent pattern of nationality altering the model pathways.
These findings have implications for governmental and geriatric institutions supporting adaptive aging across the life course. Interventions may strengthen CA through meaningful engagement in later life, while policies for younger and middle-aged adults may pair future-oriented thinking with support for timely preparation, contributing to a more socially resilient aging society.

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