Personal and Collective Future Thought in Times of Uncertainty

Hong Kong's 2019 protests sparked public concern about the city's future. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Hong Kong residents' personal futures (PF) and their perceptions of the city's collective future (CF), and how these views connect to well-being and career decisions. We surveyed 266 Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents aged 18-64.Our findings revealed a weak positive correlation between PF and CF, with PF being generally more positive. Stronger views on both PF and CF were linked to better well-being. Interestingly, positive PF (but not CF) predicted higher career decisiveness. Importantly, the strength of the PF/CF association was greater for those who strongly identified with Hong Kong. Our results suggest that even amidst social unrest, individuals may retain optimism about their personal futures while holding a less optimistic view of their city's collective future, and these views can influence career decision-making.