Academic procrastination: the pattern and correlates of behavioural postponement

Powell, Russell A.; Howell, Andrew J.; Watson, David; Buro, Karen

Academic procrastination: the pattern and correlates of behavioural postponement

Author

Date

2006

Keywords

procrastination, temporal discounting, self-regulation, academic performance

Abstract (summary)

Using a series of computer-based assignments, we examined whether students’ submission patterns revealed a hyperbolic pattern of temporal discounting, such that few assignments are submitted far ahead of the deadline and submission of assignments accelerates at an increasing rate as the deadline becomes imminent. We further examined whether variables related to self-regulation – namely, self-reported procrastination, implementation intentions, say-do correspondence, and perceived academic control – correlated with behavioural postponement. Results revealed strong behavioural evidence of temporal discounting, especially among those who identified themselves as procrastinators. Among the self-regulation measures, only say-do correspondence consistently correlated with procrastination.

Publication Information

Howell, A. J., Watson, D. C., Powell, R. A., & Buro, K. (2006). Academic procrastination: the pattern and correlates of behavioural postponement. Journal of Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1519-1530.