Procrastination and Procrastinators. Definition, Etiology, Epidemiology and Therapy

Katarzyna Markiewicz

Abstract


A tendency to delay tasks has become so common that it created an interest of psychologists. Such behavior was termed as procrastination (Latin prōcrāstinō – putting off for tomorrow, from day to day). It does not concern situations when we occasionally do not accomplish a given task or fail to meet the deadline due to fatigue, discouragement, overwork, a need to complete the information or simply because we feel lazy and unmotivated. Procrastinators linger chronically for irrational reasons finding substitute assignments to excuse the inability to fulfill the right task. The reason for doing it is a fear of failure and low self-esteem. As a rule, such persons plan to accomplish the task, but their feeling of aversion to do it increases when the deadline is growing uncomfortably near. They simply cannot make themselves to do the work. In many West European countries and in the USA the need for psychological treatment of procrastinators is understood. Unfortunately, procrastination is not considered to be a real problem in Poland despite the fact that it is quite common. In addition, none statistical studies are carried on, and there are wide tolerance limits for untimely settlement of obligations. The present paper aims at describing the nature and after-effects of procrastination as well as appropriate aid actions.


Keywords


procrastination; the youth; epidemiology; therapy

Full Text:

PDF (Język Polski)

References


Anderson C.J. (2003), The psychology of doing nothing: Forms of decision avoidance result from reason and emotion, “Psychological Bulletin”, Vol. 129(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.1.139.

Balkis M., Duru E. (2007), The Evaluation of the Major Characteristics and Aspects of the Procrastination in the Framework of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, “Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice”, Vol. 7(1).

Beutel M.E., Brähler E., Glaesmer H., Kuss D.J., Wölfling K., Müller K.W. (2011), Regular and problematic leisuretime Internet use in the community: Results from a German population-based survey, “Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking”, Vol. 14(5), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2010.0199.

Beutel M.E., Klein E.M., Aufenanger S., Brähler E., Dreier M., Muller K.W., Quiring O., Reinecke L., Schmutzer G., Stark B., Wölfling K. (2016), Procrastination, Distress and Life Satisfaction across the Age Range: A German Representative Community Study, “PLoS ONE”, Vol. 11(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148054.

Bijl R.V., Graaf R. de, Hiripi E., Kessler R.C., Kohn R., Offord D.R., Ustun T.B., Vicente B., Vollebergh W.A., Walters E.E., Wittchen H.U. (2003), The prevalence of treated and untreated mental disorders in five countries, “Health Affairs”, Vol. 22(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.22.3.122.

Brownlow S., Reasinger R.D. (2000), Putting off until tomorrow what is better done today: Academic procrastination as a function of motivation toward college work, “Journal of Social Behavior and Personality”, Vol. 15(5).

Carstensen L.L., Isaacowitz D.M., Charles S.T. (1999), Taking time seriously: A theory of socioemotional selectivity, “American Psychologist”, Vol. 54(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.3.165.

Cassady J.C., Johnson R.E. (2002), Cognitive test anxiety and academic performance, “Contemporary Educational Psychology”, Vol. 27(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.2001.1094.

Choi J.N., Moran S.V. (2009), Why not procrastinate? Development and validation of a new active procrastination scale, “Journal of Social Psychology”, Vol. 149(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.3200/SOCP.149.2.195-212.

Chowdhury S.F., Pychyl T.A. (2018), A critique of the construct validity of active procrastination, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 120, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.016.

Chu A.H.C., Choi J.N. (2005), Rethinking procrastination: Positive effects of “active” procrastination behaviour on attitudes and performance, “Journal of Social Psychology”, Vol. 145(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.3200/SOCP.145.3.245-264.

Davis R.A., Flett G.L., Besser A. (2002), Validation of a new scale for measuring problematic Internet use: Implications for pre-employment screening, “CyberPsychology & Behavior”, Vol. 5(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/109493102760275581.

Day V., Mensink D., O’Sullivan M. (2000), Patterns of academic procrastination, “Journal of College Reading and Learning”, Vol. 30(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10790195.2000.10850090.

Doyle J.A., Paludi M.A. (1998), Sex and Gender: The Human Experience, San Francisco: McGraw-Hill.

Duncan J., Johnson R., Swales M., Freer C. (1997), Frontal lobe deficits after head injury: Unity and diversity of function, “Cognitive Neuropsychology”, Vol. 14(5).

Eerde W. van (2003), A meta‐analytically derived nomological network of procrastination, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 35(6), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00358-6.

Ellis A. (2003), Cognitive restructuring of the disputing of irrational beliefs, [w:] W. O’Donohue, J.E. Fisher, S.C. Hayes (eds.), Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Applying Empirically Supported Techniques in Your Practice, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Ellis A., Knaus W.J. (1977), Overcoming Procrastination, New York: Signet Books.

Ely D.D., Hampton J.D. (1973), Prediction of procrastination in a self-pacing instructional system, “ERIC Documentation Service”, https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED075501.pdf (dostęp: 10.10.2018).

Engberding M., Höcker A., Nieroba S., Rist F. (2011), Arbeitszeitrestriktion als Methode der Behandlung von Prokrastination, „Verhaltenstherapie“, Bd. 21(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000333392.

Fee R.L., Tangney J.P. (2000), Procrastination: A means of avoiding shame or guilt?, “Journal of Social Behavior and Personality”, Vol. 15(5).

Ferrari J.R. (2010), Still Procrastinating. The No-regrets Guide to Getting It Done, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

Ferrari J.R., Crum K.P., Pardo M.A. (2018), Decisional procrastination: Assessing characterological and contextual variables around indecision, “Current Psychology”, Vol. 37(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-017-9681-x.

Ferrari J.R., Diaz-Morales J.F. (2007), Procrastination: Different time orientations reflect different motives, “Journal of Research in Personality”, Vol. 41(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2006.06.006.

Ferrari J.R., Diaz-Morales J.F., O’Callaghan J., Diaz K., Argumendo D. (2007), Frequent behavioral delay tendencies by adults: International prevalence rates of chronic procrastination, “Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology”, Vol. 38(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022107302314.

Ferrari J.R., Dovidio J. (2000), Examining behavioral processes in indecision: Decisional procrastination and decision-making style, “Journal of Research in Personality”, Vol. 34(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jrpe.1999.2247.

Ferrari J.R., Harriott J.S., Zimmerman M. (1999), The social support networks of procrastinators: Friends or family in times of trouble?, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 26(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(98)00141-X.

Ferrari J.R., Johnson J.L., McCown W.G. (1995), Treating adult and atypical procrastination, [w:] J.R. Ferrari, J.L. Johnson, W.G. McCown (eds.), Procrastination and task Avoidance: Theory, Research and Treatment, New York: Plenum Press.

Ferrari J.R., O’Callaghan J., Newbegin I. (2005), Prevalence of procrastination in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia: Arousal and avoidance delays among adults, “North American Journal of Psychology”, Vol. 7(1).

Goldin C., Katz L.F., Kuziemko I. (2006), The homecoming of American college women: The reversal of the college gender gap, “The Journal of Economic Perspectives”, Vol. 20(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.20.4.133.

Gröpel P., Steel P. (2008), A mega-trial investigation of goal setting, interest enhancement, and energy on procrastination, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 45(5), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.05.015.

GUS (2016), Zdrowie i ochrona zdrowia w 2016 r., https://stat.gov.pl/files/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5513/1/7/1/zdrowie_i_ochrona_zdrowia_w_2016.pdf (dostęp: 10.10.2018).

Haghbin M. (2015), Conceptualization and operationalization of delay: Development and validation of the multifaceted measure of academic procrastination and the delay questionnaire, https://curve.carleton.ca/system/files/etd/dc303d5d-aaae-4873-bd46-4d6f1aff24e6/etd_pdf/122b6df4c6c51c7028fdf571a71ee059/haghbin-conceptualizationandoperationalizationofdelay.pdf (dostęp: 10.10.2018).

Haghbin M., McCaffrey A., Pychyl T.A. (2012), The complexity of the relation between fear of failure and procrastination, “Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy”, Vol. 30(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-012-0153-9.

Harrington N. (2005), It’s too difficult! Frustration intolerance beliefs and procrastination, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 39(5), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.12.018.

Higgins G.E., Tewksbury R. (2006), Sex and Self-Control Theory: The measures and causal model may be different, “Youth Society”, Vol. 37(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X05283423.

Hill M.B., Hill D.A., Chabot A.E., Barrall J.F. (1978), A survey of college faculty and student procrastination, “College Student Journal”, Vol. 12(3).

Ibáñez A., Petroni A., Urquina H., Torrente F., Torralva T., Hurtado E., Guex R., Blenkmann A., Beltrachini L., Muravchik C., Baez S., Cetkovich M., Sigman M., Lischinsky A., Manes F. (2011), Cortical deficits of emotional face processing in adults with ADHD: Its relation to social cognition and executive function, “Social Neuroscience”, Vol. 6(5–6).

Jurado M.B., Rosselli M. (2007), The elusive nature of executive functions: A review of our current understanding, “Neuropsychology Review”, Vol. 17(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-007-9040-z.

Kachgal M.M., Hansen L.S., Nutter K.J. (2001), Academic Procrastination Prevention/Intervention: Strategies and Recommendations, “Journal of Developmental Education”, Vol. 25(1).

Kaczmarek B.L.J. (1993), Płaty czołowe a język i zachowanie człowieka, Wrocław–Lubin: Linea.

Kaczmarek B.L.J. (1998), Mózg, język, zachowanie, Lublin: Wydawnictwo UMCS.

Keller H. (2015), Die Entwicklung der Generation Ich. Eine psychologische Analyse aktueller Erziehungsleitbilder, Wiesbaden: Springer, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-10392-7.

Kessler R.C., Demler O., Frank R.G., Olfson M., Pincus H.A., Walters E.E., Wang P., Wells K.B., Zaslavsky A.M. (2005), Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders, 1990 to 2003, “New England Journal of Medicine”, Vol. 352(24), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa043266.

Klingsieck K. (2013), Procrastination. When good things don’t come to those who wait, “European Psychologist”, Vol. 18(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000138.

Knaus W.J. (1973), Overcoming procrastination, “Rational Living”, 8(2).

Knaus W.J. (2000), Procrastination, blame, and change, “Journal of Social Behavior and Personality”, Vol. 15(5).

Krause K., Freud A.M. (2014), Delay or procrastination: A comparison of self-report and behavioral measures of procrastination and their impact on affective well-being, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 63, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.050.

Lazarus A.A. (1971), Behavior Therapy and Beyond, New York: McGraw-Hill.

Lay C.H. (2004), Some basic elements in counseling procrastinators, [w:] H.C. Schouwenburg, C.H. Lay, T.A. Pychyl, J.R. Ferrari (eds.), Counseling the Procrastinator in Academic Settings, Washington: American Psychological Association.

Lindblom-Ylänne S., Saariaho E., Inkinen M., Haarala-Muhonen A., Hailikari T. (2015), Academic procrastinators, strategic delayers and something betwixt and between: An interview study, “Frontline Learning Research”, Vol. 3(2).

Lubbers M.J., Werf M.P. Van Der, Kuyper H., Hendriks A. (2010), Does homework behavior mediate the relation between personality and academic performance?, “Learning and Individual Differences”, Vol. 20(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2010.01.005.

Markus H.R., Schwartz B. (2010), Does choice mean freedom and well-being?, “Journal of Consumer Research”, Vol. 37(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/651242.

McCown W., Johnson J., Petzel T. (1989), Procrastination, a principal components analysis, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 10(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(89)90204-3.

Meichenbaum D.E. (1977), Cognitive Behavior Modification: Anintegrative Approach, New York: Plenum Press, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9739-8.

Milgram N.A. (1987), The many faces of procrastination: Implications and recommendations for counselors, “Reports: Speeches/Conference Papers”, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED290103 (dostęp: 10.09.2018).

Milgram N., Marshevsky S., Sadeh C. (1995), Correlates of academic procrastination: Discomfort, task aversiveness, and task capability, “Journal of Psychology”, Vol. 129(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1995.9914954.

Milgram N.A., Sroloff B., Rosenbaum M. (1988), The procrastination of everyday life, “Journal of Research in Personality”, Vol. 22(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(88)90015-3.

Nguyen B., Steel P., Ferrari J.R. (2013), Procrastination’s impact in the workplace and the workplace’s impact on procrastination, “International Journal of Selection & Assessment”, Vol. 21(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12048.

Noftle E.E., Robins R.W. (2007), Personality predictors of academic outcomes: Big five correlates of GPA and SAT scores, “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology”, Vol. 93(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.93.1.116.

Norman D.A., Shalice T. (1980), Attention to Action: Willed and Automatic Control of Behavior, San Diego: Center for Human Information Processing, University of California.

O’Connor M., Paunonen S. (2007), Big Five personality predictors of post-secondary academic performance, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 43(5), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2007.03.017.

Onwuegbuzie A.J. (2000), Academic procrastinators and perfectionistic tendencies among graduate students, “Journal of Social Behavior & Personality”, Vol. 15(5).

Ozer B.U., Demir A., Ferrari J.R. (2009), Exploring academic procrastination among Turkish students: Possible gender differences in prevalence and reasons, “Journal of Social Psychology”, Vol. 149(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.3200/SOCP.149.2.241-257.

Powell K.B., Voeller K.K.S. (2004), Prefrontal Executive Function Syndromes in Children, “Journal of Child Neurology”, Vol. 19(10), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/08830738040190100801.

Procee R., Kamphorst B., Meyer J.J., Wissen A. van, (2013), A formal model of procrastination. BNAIC 2: Proceedings of the 25th Benelux Conference on Artificial Intelligence, http://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:f64556f8-d9bf-4421-a4e0-5b7dcaad163f/?collection=research (dostęp: 10.10.2018).

Pychyl T.A. (2013), Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change, New York: Tarcher/Penguin.

Pychyl T.A. (2016), Procrastination as a virtue for creativity, why it’s false. All procrastination is delay, but not all delay is procrastination, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-delay/201601/procrastination-virtue-creativity-why-its-false (dostęp: 4.05.2018).

Pychyl T.A., Lee J.M., Thibodeau R., Blunt A. (2000), Five days of emotion: An experience sampling study of undergraduate student procrastination, “Journal of Social Behavior and Personality”, Vol. 15(5).

Remke B. (2016), Neue Studienergebnisse zur Prokrastination: „Aufschieberitis“ betrifft vor allem junge Menschen. IDW – informationsdienst, Wissenschaft: nachrichten, termine, experten, https://idw-online.de/de/news647661 (dostęp: 17.03.2018).

Reyna V.F., Farley F. (2006), Risk and rationality in adolescent decision making: Implications for theory, practice, and public policy, “Psychological Science in the Public Interest”, Vol. 7(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-1006.2006.00026.x.

Rice K.G., Richardson C.M.E., Clark D. (2012), Perfectionism, procrastination, and psychological distress, “Journal of Counseling Psychology”, Vol. 59(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026643.

Roberts B.W., Walton K.E.,Viechtbauer W. (2006), Patterns of mean-level change in personality traits across the life course: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies, “Psychological Bulletin”, Vol. 132(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.1.1.

Rosati P.A. (1975), Procrastinators prefer PSI, “Educational Research and Methods”, Vol. 8.

Rozental A., Carlbring P. (2014), Understanding and treating procrastination: A review of a common self-regulatory failure, “Psychology”, Vol. 5(13), DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2014.513160.

Schouwenburg H.C. (1995), Academic procrastination. Theoretical notions, measurement, and research, [w:] J.R. Ferrari, J.L. Johnson, W.G. McCown (eds.), Procrastination and Task Avoidance: Theory, Research and Treatment, New York: Plenum Press.

Schouwenburg H.C. (2004), Procrastination in academic settings: General introduction, [w:] H.C. Schouwenburg, C.H. Lay, T.A. Pychyl, J.R. Ferrari (eds.), Counseling the Procrastinator in Academic Settings, Washington: American Psychological Association.

Schouwenburg H.C. (2005), On counselling the procrastinator in academic settings, [w:] T. Boekhorst, E. Uildruiks (eds.), Internationalisation Within Higher Education in an Expanding Europe. New Developments in Psychological Counselling, Louvain-la-Neuve: FEDORA.

Schraw G., Wadkins T., Olafson L. (2007), Doing the things we do: A grounded theory of academic procrastination, “Journal of Educational Psychology”, Vol. 99(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.1.12.

Schubert Walker L.J., Stewart D.W. (2000), Overcoming the powerlessness of procrastination, “Guidance & Counseling”, Vol. 16(1).

Schuman E.P. (1981), A writing block treated with modern psychoanalytic interventions, “Journal of Psychoanalysis”, Vol. 68(1).

Silver M., Sabini J. (1981), Procrastinating, “Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior”, Vol. 11(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5914.1981.tb00033.x.

Sirois F.M. (2004), Procrastination and intentions to perform health behaviors: The role of self-efficacy and the consideration of future consequences, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 37(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2003.08.005.

Sirois F.M. (2007a), I’ll look after my health, later: A replication and extension of the procrastination-health model with community-dwelling adults, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 43(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.11.003.

Sirois F.M. (2007b), Procrastination and motivations for household safety behaviours: An expectancy-value theory perspective, [w:] L.V. Brown (ed.), Psychology of Motivation, New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Sirois F.M., Melia-Gordon M.L., Pychyl T.A. (2003), I’ll look after my health, later: An investigation of procrastination and health, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 35(5), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00326-4.

Sirois F.M., Pychyl T.A. (2013), Procrastination and the Priority of Short-Term Mood Regulation: Consequences for Future Self, “Social and Personality Psychology Compass”, Vol. 7(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12011.

Smith P.O., Suda K.T. (1999), Mowrer’s Two Factor Model. Applications to Disaster Mental Health Services, “Traumatology”, Vol. 5(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/153476569900500204.

Solomon L.J., Rothblum E.D. (1984), Academic procrastination: Frequency and cognitive-behavioral correlates, “Journal of Counseling Psychology”, Vol. 31(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.31.4.503.

Stead R., Shanahan M.J., Neufeld W.J. (2010), I’ll go to therapy, eventually: Procrastination, stress and mental health, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 49(3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.03.028.

Steel P. (2007), The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure, “Psychological Bulletin”, Vol. 133(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65.

Steel P. (2011), The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Things Done, Harlow: Pearson Education.

Steel P., Ferrari J. (2013), Sex, Education and Procrastination: An Epidemiological Study of Procrastinators’ Characteristics from a Global Sample, “European Journal of Personality”, Vol. 27(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/per.1851.

Strüber D., Lück M., Roth G. (2008), Sex, aggression and impulse control: An integrative account, “Neurocase: The Neural Basis of Cognition”, Vol. 14(1).

Tibbett T.P., Ferrari J.R. (2015), The portrait of the procrastinator: Risk factors and results of indecision, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 82, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.014.

Tice D.M., Bratslavsky E., Baumeister R.F. (2001), Emotional distress regulation takes precedence over impulse control: If you feel bad, do it!, “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology”, Vol. 80(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.80.1.53.

Weiner B. (1985), An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion, “Psychological Review”, Vol. 92(4), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.92.4.548.

Wohl M.J.A., Pychyl T.A., Bennet S.H. (2010), I forgive myself, now I can study: How self-forgiveness for procrastinating can reduce future procrastination, “Personality and Individual Differences”, Vol. 48(7), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.01.029.

Zelazo P.D., Carter A., Reznick J.S., Frye D. (1997), Early development of executive function: A problem-solving framework, “Review of General Psychology”, Vol. 1(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.1.2.198.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/j.2018.31.3.195-213
Date of publication: 2019-02-26 17:52:11
Date of submission: 2018-05-10 13:55:52


Statistics


Total abstract view - 13420
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF (Język Polski) - 6812

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2019 Katarzyna Markiewicz

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.