'Science Is Fluid and Evolving Quickly. You Have to Stay on Top of It'

Vladimir Dimidov specialises in positive psychology and investigates the issue of time perspective. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses the importance of thinking about the future, strategies for preventing burnout, and the best places to visit on Lake Baikal.

How I Started in Science

I have explored various fields, including electronics and robotics. Eventually, I realised that my true interests lie in the humanities and attempted to pursue a career as a writer. Then I enrolled in a psychology programme, and in my second year, met Oksana Zachirinskaya, Doctor of Psychology and Professor at St Petersburg State University. She was the first person who had no doubts about my potential for a successful scientific career.

Where I Work Now

I work at the International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation. Positive psychology is a global trend in personality psychology that focuses on the issues of happiness and meaning. My academic supervisor, Dmitry Leontiev, is a distinguished scientist and the grandson as well as a direct follower of the renowned Soviet psychologist Aleksei Leontiev. 

The Subject of My Research

Time perspective. Understanding the concept of time perspective is a distinct theoretical task. On one hand, it refers to the idea that a person is not solely focused on the present but also considers the past and the future. In other approaches, time perspective is understood more specifically as a future-oriented outlook—a cognitive and motivational framework shaped by an individual's goals, aspirations, hopes, and fears. 

Effects of Time Perspective

People with a well-developed time perspective are less influenced by fleeting emotions. Their happiness depends less on the intensity of their present experiences and more on the meanings they derive from them. 

In other words, if a person has a long-term goal, they may be more resilient to frustration.

The absence of a time perspective can have very serious consequences. People who are at a higher risk of suicide are often those who have lost a sense of meaning, and one warning sign may be that a person feels they have no purpose in life.

How My Research Is Structured

One of the partial hypotheses I aim to test is that time perspective is a distinct phenomenon that differentiates meaning from happiness. In statistical terms, we can say that a moderation effect occurs: the correlation either increases or decreases when time perspective is introduced. In the example of happiness and meaning, their relationship should be weaker. Suppose their correlation is 0.7, but when we introduce time perspective into the model, the correlation decreases to 0.4. This means that the relationship is weakened and diminished.

The main part of my research follows a standard approach: I recruit a sample of around two hundred people to ensure the study has sufficient power. Next, I conduct a series of tests. Then, I construct a structural model that includes happiness, positive emotions, meaning, and time perspective.

What I Take Pride In

I established a student research project group at the Faculty of Social Sciences. We worked for a year and conducted several interesting studies. This was my first leadership experience. I wouldn't say I'm particularly proud of it, but overall, I consider the venture a success.

We studied the issue of goal setting. We asked people about their views on goals, how and why they set them, where the process begins, and what challenges they face along the way. The results are outlined in the paper ‘The Subjective Experience of Goal Setting,’ which will soon be published in World of Psychology, co-authored by my colleagues who worked with me. The paper provides a detailed description of this process. We also developed a test on goal engagement and conducted a series of assessments.

What We Learned about Goal Setting

We conducted two studies, both based on highly similar samples. In one case, we instructed participants to freely write down their goals, while in the other, we asked them to choose from a list of aspirations that had been empirically identified over decades of research. Then, we examined the role that meaning plays in particular. 

It turned out that the structure of goal engagement differed between people who wrote down their own goals and those who chose from the list of aspirations we provided.

In theory, these aspirations are categorised into internal and external types. An internal aspiration is, for example, the desire for personal development, while an external aspiration is the desire to appear attractive. We had expected that the structure of engagement would differ between internal and external goals. However, it turned out to vary in each individual case. 

My Dream as a Scientist

I have a long-term goal of establishing an institute, which could be either an educational institution or a laboratory. 

I could describe it as a dream, but it’s not a dream—it's a goal. Then there are things that could be called fantasies. For example, when it comes to the state of psychology and science in Russia, I have a fantasy that scientists might someday become more deeply immersed in science. This hasn’t happened yet. 

Science is fluid and evolving quickly. You have to stay on top of it.

You need to stay informed about the current state of science and read papers published in your field in real time. For example, an article was published in eNeuro in 2024. Based on experiments with rats, neuroscientists suggest that the functioning of consciousness may be explained by quantum dualism. 

Ideally, experts in the psychology of consciousness should mobilise and begin conducting research based on this article. But only a few will do so. Other scientists may not approach it for years, by which time quantum dualism may no longer be as relevant.

If I Hadn't Become a Scientist

I could have become a writer, a cyberneticist, a philosopher, or a data scientist. All of this helps me in my work today. I can confidently dive into philosophical and psychological research.

How I Use AI

When it comes to AI, I discuss models with it. For example, our goal is to develop a time perspective test. I have a specific set of variable characteristics: some have been identified through a literature review, while others are part of another study of mine. One way to summarise them is theoretically. Alternatively, they can be summarised empirically through research, if appropriate methods are available. Another option is to discuss them with AI by providing specific prompts. 

Who I Would Like to Meet

Robert A. Emmons, a positive psychologist. He is an American psychologist renowned for his research on personal aspirations and his writings on the psychology of spirituality and religion. Around the year 2000, he studied individual goal setting, which is similar to what I am researching. Prof. Emmons' doctoral student was Ken Sheldon, who once served as the academic supervisor at our laboratory.

Whether I Have Experienced Burnout

I don't experience burnout as such. Sometimes, I may feel worse than usual, but I know how to handle this condition. I just need to do what I love to do.

Science has helped me even during the difficult moments in my life. Certain events could distract me throughout the day, leave me feeling tired in the evening, yet keep me awake until 4 am. But then, at 4 am, I would sit down, immerse myself in science, and feel my life getting better.

Advice for Aspiring Scientists

Some early-career scientists, especially those my age, are very concerned about earning money. If your goal is to earn money, consider entrepreneurship or administration. But if you are someone guided by your heart, follow where it leads you. Remember, however, that only the best of the best will earn money doing something they truly enjoy.

My Favourite Place in Moscow

I really like Gorka Park with its sports ground near Maroseika, not far from HSE University. I also enjoy the park on Vorobyovy Gory; the Luzhniki sports complex is nearby, where you can work out on the horizontal bars, and then take a walk along the embankment with friends. 

My Favourite Place in Irkutsk

Irkutsk, where I was born and raised, also has two lovely embankments. Lake Baikal is not far from Irkutsk, and it is beautiful no matter where you go, especially if you visit a less touristy spot. 

I like the city of Slyudyanka, located to the south of Lake Baikal. It is equidistant from both the Buryat tourist destinations and Irkutsk. I have relatives who live there. At that location, Lake Baikal is exactly the kind of place you'll remember, with its stunning nature, beaches, and mountains.