Update research - procrastination（Influencing factors & Intervention）

Procrastination refers to the failure of self-regulation, and the behaviour of delaying the things planned to be done even when the consequences can be expected to be harmful. 

According to （Grunschel, 2018）‘Academic procrastination is considered to be a result of self-regulation failure having detrimental effects on students’ well-being and academic performance.’

In this material, the author developed and evaluated group training aimed at reducing academic delays. A total of 106 students completed the training, and the training was done through time management and concentration. Promoting the process of self-regulation in their intervention is a successful attempt to support students in reducing academic procrastination.

Influencing factors

The specific reasons for procrastination are not yet clear. One view is that procrastination is caused by one or several relatively stable personality characteristics, and individuals may be procrastinated under various circumstances and conditions; another view is that, Delays are mostly caused by unstable factors determined by the environment.

1. Environmental factors

The procrastination behaviour of the procrastinator is related to the time pressure to complete the task and the temptation of entertainment from the outside. Procrastinators often find it difficult to resist the temptation of the outside world, especially the temptation of entertainment, which leads to procrastination.

2. Task characteristics

(1) Task difficulty. The difficulty of the task will affect the occurrence of individual procrastination. The more complex the task, the easier it is for people to procrastinate. When the individual thinks that a task is beyond their own ability, they usually adopt it due to lack of control over success. Delay or avoid performing the task

(2) Reward and punishment time limit The reward and punishment time limit of the task also affects the completion of the task. If the reward is timely, it will reduce the delay in completing the task.

(3) The degree of aversion to the task. For tasks that may bring boring, frustration and resentment, people will first choose to avoid them, and if they cannot avoid them, they will postpone the confrontation as much as possible.

3. Individual differences

(1) Irrational concepts If the individual believes that the motivation for avoiding failure is higher than the motivation for pursuing success, the individual will tend to avoid possible failure by delaying.

(2) Low self-efficacy and self-esteem From a psychological analysis, some people's lack of confidence in their workability is an important cause of procrastination. People who have encountered major setbacks at work and are not confident enough in themselves are prone to avoidance and constantly postpone completing tasks.

(3) When self-impeding procrastinators are engaged in a task, they often delay the start of the task due to some external stimuli; in the process of performing the task, they are more likely to interrupt the task to perform other activities and continue to To postpone the continuation of the mission.

(4) Anxiety When the deadline is far away, procrastination can reduce individual anxiety, but as the task deadline approaches, the procrastinator will experience more anxiety.

(5) Impulse Impulse can sometimes motivate people to pursue something, but being overly active may lead to decisions that are too fast and the scope of attention is reduced, which will lead to individual procrastination. Because impulsive people pay more attention to immediate incentives and ignore long-term responsibilities, impulsive people are more likely to procrastinate.

(6) Perfectionism There is a positive correlation between perfectionism tendency and procrastination. Perfectionism can be divided into positive perfectionism and negative perfectionism. Positive perfectionists will actively find ways to complete learning tasks to achieve the desired results, while negative perfectionists will use procrastination to avoid failure.

interventions

1. Change perception

Procrastination is negatively correlated with some cognitive psychology. There are some ways to change these incorrect cognitions, such as using positive cues, increasing successful experience, and amplifying advantages to gain confidence; change perfectionism to help procrastinators analyze the completion of the task. The benefits come.

2. Positive emotions and regulating motivation

You can change your mood through proper rest, diversion, and appropriate relaxation and entertainment, and obtain temporary positive emotions. You can't escape reality and ignore long-term benefits and fundamental solutions to problems. In terms of motivation, task aversion in the nature of the task affects procrastination, so it is necessary to convert the aversion task into a favourite task or add some rewards.

3. Enhance self-efficacy

Enhancing self-efficacy can prevent procrastination to a large extent. Encourage individuals to self-manage themselves in the process of task completion, actively monitor their own behaviour and evaluate intervention expectations.

4. Play the role of the group

The group atmosphere can provide members with a special situation, full of understanding, care, and trust. Changes in this environment will surely cause changes in individual behaviour. [1] 

Reference:

Grunschel, C., Patrzek, J., Klingsieck, K. and Fries, S., 2018. “I’ll stop procrastinating now!” Fostering specific processes of self-regulated learning to reduce academic procrastination. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(2), pp.143-157.

Piers Steel. The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure. Psychological Bulletin 2007, Vol. 133, No 1, 65–94