pychyl procrastination presentation march 19 2012

8/16/2019 PYCHYL Procrastination Presentation March 19 2012

1/57

Timothy A. Pychyl Department of Psychology

Why don’t we just do it?

How research is helping to solvethe procrastination puzzle

Tuesday, 20 March, 12


2/57

He had a year to do it inHe had a year to do it in

So brushed the thought away,

A chap with half his energyMight do it in a day.

A year! ‘Twas too ridiculous,

As everyone should find;

However, he would get it done

And have it off his mind.

A poem that says it all!



3/57

But not today . . .

But not today. A few months hence would suit him

better still;

Meanwhile, a far less irksome job

Might occupy his skill.

He would not let the matter pass

Entirely from him, No;

And doubtless he might take it up

In, say a month or so.



4/57

He had six months to do it in!

He had six months to do it in!

For six long months had flown;

Well, why should that alarm a chapWith talents like his own?

The job, whence once embarked upon,

Would soon be rattled through;

However, he would think of it,

In, say, a week or two.



5/57

He had three months to do it in!

He had three months to do it in!

“Oh brother!” was his cry;

The thing hangs on me like a weight,Each day that passes by.

Let’s see: three months? Ah, that’s enough,

But, just to clear the doubt,

Make arrangements for a start

Before the month is out.



6/57

He had a week to do it in!

He had a week to do it in!

And care was in his glance.

“It’s hard,” he cried, “that flight of time,Won’t give a chap a chance!”

He still delayed, the swift week passed,

As weeks will ever run,

And though a year was given him,

The task was still undone.

John Lea in Boys Own Paper (Volume 37 Issue 3, January 1915)



7/57

Before I take your questions,

here’s what I want to say! Explain what procrastination is and what it’s not.

! Highlight the consequences of procrastination

!

Identify key pieces of the self-regulation failurepuzzle

– It’s me

– It’s the task

– It’s the way I think

– It’s my lack of willpower

! Strategies for change

! My pace, your questions



8/57

Latin roots

Latin verb procrastinare

pro - forward motion crastinus - belonging to tomorrow

“put off or postpone until another day”

That’s not so bad, it ’s about belonging to tomorrow . . .Tuesday, 20 March, 12


9/57

Tomorrow!A mystical land where 98%

of all human productivity,motivation, and

achievement is stored.

9

(Unknown)



10/57

How do psychologists define

procrastination?

! Gap between intention and action

!Voluntary, irrational, delay despite theexpectation of a potential negative

outcome

Mohsen Haghbin

All procrastination is delay,but not all delay is procrastination



11/57

The costs of procrastination

! Performance

! Well-being

!

Health! Relationships

! Regrets & bereavement

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, 35 (5),1167-1184.

“ . . . procrastination is usuallyharmful, sometimes harmless, butnever helpful” (Steel, 2007; p. 80).



12/57

Procrastination – it’s not about time

The Procrastinator’s

Clock?



13/57

Brian Salmon

The Planning Fallacy

! Used study prediction calendars and study “logs”

to explore the potential discrepancy between

intention (“I’ll study early for the exam and lots!”)

vs. action (“maybe next time!”).

! Expected a greater “planning fallacy” for

procrastinators

Pychyl, T. A., Morin, R.W., & Salmon, B. R. (2000). Procrastination and planning fallacy: An examinationof the study habits of university students. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 15 , 135-150.



14/57



15/57

What just happenedhere? Short-term mood

repair!



16/57

16The procrast ination puzzle Tuesday, 20 March, 12

It’s that gap between intention and action


17/57

17

It s that gap between intention and action.It’s weakness of will.

SELF-REGULATION FAILURE

Short-term mood repair

“Giving in to feel good”


The nature of our


18/57

18

Personality

Cognitions & Beliefs

The nature of our goals & intentions

Self-Control & Willpower

Self-Regulation Failure



19/57

19

Personality



20/57

19

Personality

Conscientiousness



21/57

19

Personality

Impulsivity

Conscientiousness



22/57

19

Personality

Perfectionism Impulsivity

Conscientiousness



23/57

19

Personality

Perfectionism Impulsivity

EmotionalIntelligence

Conscientiousness



24/57

Unrealistic expectations

Kilbert, J.J., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., & Saito, M. (2005). Adaptive and maladaptive aspects ofself-oriented versus socially prescribed perfectionism. Journal of College Student Development, 46 ,141-156.Flett, G. L., Blankstein, K. R., Hewitt, P. L., & Koledin, S. (1992). Components of perfectionism and

procrastination in college students. Social Behavior and Personality, 20 , 85-94.

Perfectionism Dimensions

Self-OrientedPerfectionism

Socially-PrescribedPerfectionism

ProcrastinationMeasures

GP ScalePASS-FrequencyPASS-Problem

•p < .05, **p < .01

•Adapted from Flett, Hewitt and Martin (1995)

-.02.07

.09

.30**

.21*

.28**

Gord FlettCanada Research Chair

York University


Emotional intelligence – “giving in to feel good”


25/57

Emotional intelligence giving in to feel good

Heward, E., & Pychyl, T.A. (June 4, 2011). Trait emotional intelligence and its relations to general,academic, and Internet procrastination: The importance of self-control in understanding self-regulatory f

failure. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Toronto.Tice, D.M., & Bratslavsky, E. (2000). Giving to feel good: The place of emotion regulation in the context of

general self-control. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 149-159.Nelis, D., Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Hansenne, M. (2009). Increasing emotional intelligence: (How)

is it possible? Personality and Individual Differences, 47 , 36-41.

Eric Heward


Emotional intelligence – “giving in to feel good”


26/57

Emotional intelligence giving in to feel good

Heward, E., & Pychyl, T.A. (June 4, 2011). Trait emotional intelligence and its relations to general,academic, and Internet procrastination: The importance of self-control in understanding self-regulatory f

failure. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Toronto.Tice, D.M., & Bratslavsky, E. (2000). Giving to feel good: The place of emotion regulation in the context of

general self-control. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 149-159.Nelis, D., Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Hansenne, M. (2009). Increasing emotional intelligence: (How)

is it possible? Personality and Individual Differences, 47 , 36-41.

Terry Lee McPherson

Eric Heward



27/57

Carpe Diem



28/57

Self Identity and Procrastination

! Do you know who you are? Does it matter?

! Four Identity Statuses:

! AGENCY = Ego executive (action-directing) +

Ego synthetic (meaning-processing) functions

Matthew Shanahan

Shanahan, M., & Pychyl, T.A. (2007). An ego identity perspective on volitional action: Identitystatus, agency, and procrastination . Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 901-911.

Exploration (“Crisis”)

Commitment

AchievedMoratorium

Diffuse Foreclosed



29/57

Self Identity and Procrastination

! Do you know who you are? Does it matter?

! Four Identity Statuses:

! AGENCY = Ego executive (action-directing) +

Ego synthetic (meaning-processing) functions

Matthew Shanahan

Shanahan, M., & Pychyl, T.A. (2007). An ego identity perspective on volitional action: Identitystatus, agency, and procrastination . Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 901-911.

Exploration (“Crisis”)

Commitment

AchievedMoratorium

Diffuse Foreclosed



30/57

It’s that task!

! Task Aversiveness

! Concrete versus Abstract

! Approach versus Avoidance

24




31/57

What makes a task aversive?

! Boredom, frustration, resentment at every stage

! Inception & Planning Phase = LACK OF MEANING

(enjoyment, fun, pleasure, passion, self-identity)

!

Action Phase = LACK OF STRUCTURE(lack of autonomy, control, initiation, uncertainty)

25

Blunt, A.K. & Pychyl, T.A. (2000). Task aversiveness and procrastination: a multi-dimensional approachto task aversiveness across stages of personal projects. Personality and Individual Difference, 28,153-167.

PLANNING ACTION GoalINCEPTION

Allan BluntCarleton University


Are you thinking abstractly or concretely?


32/57

! “Construal-level theory holds that greater psychological

distance is associated with more abstract, higher-levelconstruals [of objects or tasks], such that more distal

objects are represented on a higher level, and also that

objects represented on a higher level seem more

distant" (p. 1308)

! ". . . the way the task is represented influences when

individuals complete it. Across a variety of manipulations

of construal level, we observed that procrastination was

reduced when participants were induced to construe the

task more concretely. . . we think that the effect ofconstrual level on completion times reflected an

association between concrete construal and sooner

time" (p. 1313).

McCrea, S.M., Liberman, N., Trope, Y., & Sherman, S.J. (2008). Construal level

and procrastination. Psychological Science, 19, 1308-1314.


Approach vs Avoidance goals


33/57

pp g

! Approach-oriented goals involve reaching or

maintaining desired outcomes.

! Avoidance goals focus on avoiding or eliminating

undesired outcomes.

! Pursuit of a greater number of avoidance goals is

related to: – less satisfaction with progress and more negative feelings

about progress with personal goals,

– decreased self-esteem, personal control and vitality,

– less satisfaction with life, and

– feeling less competent

Pychyl, T.A., & Dann, M. (2010). Approach and avoidance goals: A project-analytic approach to task characteristics related to procrastination. Paper presented at the annual conference for the Society for

Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Atlanta, Georgia.Elliot, A. J. & Friedman, R. (2007). Approach-avoidance: A central characteristic of personal goals. In B. R. Little,

K. Salmela-Aro, & S. D. Phillips (Eds.), Personal project pursuit: Goals, actions, and human flourishing(pp. 97-118). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

Matt Dann



34/57

It’s the way I think!

! Irrational beliefs

! Downward Counterfactuals

! Cognitive Dissonance &

Self-Deception

28

Cognit ions & Beliefs



35/57

Irrational beliefs

! “I’m thinking now that I’m simply too stupid to

benefit from more studying, so I’ll just hang out on

Facebook.”

! “I’m too smart for this

assignment I don’t need it.”

! “That would ruin my evening”

29

McCown, W. Blake, I.K., & Keiser, R. (in press). Content analyses of the beliefs of academic procrastinators,Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.

Neenan, M. (2008). Tackling procrastination: A REBT perspective for coaches. Journal of Rational-

Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 26 , 53-62.

Bill McCownUniversity of Louisiana

We depreciate self and

the world, and we can’t toleratefrustration very well.



36/57

In search of the “Arousal Procrastinator”

Simpson, W.K., & Pychyl, T.A. (2009). In search of the arousal procrastinator: An investigation of therelation between procrastination, arousal-based personality traits and beliefs about procrastination

motivations Personality and Individual Differences , 47 , 906-911.

Kyle Simpson



37/57

Procrastinators have which type o

counterfactual thought more?! Upward counterfactuals are mental

simulations of better possible outcomes.

! Downward counterfactuals have thefocus on how things might have been

much worse. Both forms have emotional

and behavioral consequences.

Sirois, F.M. (2004). Procrastination and counterfactual thinking: Avoiding what mighthave been. British Journal of Social Psychology, 43, 269-286.

Fuschia SiroisCanada Research Chair

Bishop’s University


Self-deception, self-handicapping & cognitive dissonance


38/57

! "I'll feel more like doing it tomorrow." Self-deception.

! "There's plenty of time yet, it can wait." Self-deception.

! ". . . the one to whom the lie is told and the one who lies are one

and the same person” (Sartre)

Why do we tell these lies? Who believes them?

Ferrari, J.R., & Tice, D.M. (2000). Procrastination as a self-handicap for men and women: A task-avoidance strategy in alaboratory setting. Journal of Research in Personality, 34, 73-83.

Lay, C.H., Knish, S., & Zanatta, R. (1992). Self-handicappers and procrastinators: A comparison of their practice behavior prior to

an evaluation. Journal of Research in Personality, 26 , 242-257.

Emrah Eren



39/57

I lack the willpower

33




40/57

Willpower and Ego-depletion

! Willpower is like a muscle

! Self-regulatory depletion

!Implications? –Strategic investment of a limited

resource

–Strengthening will power

Baumeister, R.F,, & Heatherton, T.F. (1996). Self-regulation failure: An overview. Psychological Inquiry, 7 , 1-15.

Baumeister, R.F,, & Heatherton, T.F., & Tice, D.M. (1994). Losing control: How and why people fail atself-regulation . San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Ferrari, J. R., & Pychyl, T. A. (2007). Regulating speed, accuracy and judgments by Indecisives: Effects offrequent choices on self-regulation depletion. Personality and Individual Differences, 42 , 777-787.



41/57

Meditate

Sirois, F. M, & Tosti, N. (in press). Lost in the moment? An investigation of procrastination, mindfulness, andwell-being. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy .

Pychyl, T.A., & Rotblatt, A. (2007). Mindfulness meditation as an intervention for academic procrastination. Paper presented at the Biennial Counseling the Procrastinator in the Academic Context conference. Lima,

Peru.Dosa, M. (2011). Mindfully losing control: An examination of the relation between measures of mindfulness,

self-control and procrastination. Unpublished honours thesis, Carleton University, Otttawa, Ontario.

Jacob Rotblatt


http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychotherapyhttp://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychotherapyhttp://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychotherapy


42/57

Self-affirmation – meaning and values

! Expressing one’s

core values

!

Puts focus onvolition as

opposed to habit

! Bolster’s self-

regulation

Schmeichel, B.J., & Vohs, K. (2009). Self-affirmation and self-control: Affirming core values counteracts ego depletion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(4), 770-782.

Courage to be


Self-Control & Executive Function


43/57

! I have trouble waiting my turn.

!

When people seem upset with me, I don't understand why.! I say things without thinking.

! I don't plan ahead for tasks; I have trouble organizing work.

! I have trouble thinking of a different way to solve a problem

when stuck.

! I have trouble with jobs or tasks that have more than one

step.

! I overreact to small problems; I get emotionally upset easily.

37

Rabin, L.A., Fogel, J., & Nutter-Upham, K.E. (2011). Academic procrastination incollege students: The role of self-reported executive function. Journal of Clinical and

Experimental Neuropsychology, 33, 344-357.

Laura Rabin

Brooklyn CollegeCUNY

“all of the nine clinical subscales of executive functioning

were significantly related with higher academicprocrastination . . . our research suggests that there maybe problems within cognitively healthy individuals thatcontribute to a vulnerability to procrastination.”



44/57

Strategies for change &

a plan of attack



45/57

Implementation Intentions

! In situation X, I will do behaviour Y to achieve

subgoal Z.

! External cue for behaviour

! 40% increase in attendance on second

experiment

Peter Gollwitzer

Owens, S., Bowman, C., & Dill, C. (2008). Overcoming Procrastination: The Effect of Implementation

Intentions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 38 , 366-384


Pre-empt that which tempts!


46/57

Reduce distractions

Lavoie, J., & Pychyl, T.A. (2001). Cyber-slacking and the procrastination super highway: A Web-basedsurvey of on-line procrastination, attitudes and emotion. Social Science Computer Review, 19, 431-444.

Jennifer LavoieWilfrid Laurier University



47/57

Just get started!

! Experience sampling

! Doing & “should be doing”

! Appraisals, emotions, thoughts

! Follow-up interviews

“I’ll feel more like it tomorrow”

“I work better under pressure”

Pychyl, T.A., Lee, J., Thibodeau, R., & Blunt, A. (2000). Five Days of Emotion: An experience-sampling study of undergraduate student procrastination. Journal of Social Behavior and

Personality , 15(5), 239-254.

Jonathan Lee

Rachelle Thibodeau



48/57

Meaning & Interest

! "If an activity is boring, I can usually find a way

to make it fun again."

Gropel, P., & Steel, P. (2008). A mega-trial investigation of goal setting, interest enhancement, and energyon procrastination. Personality and Individual Differences, 45 , 406-411.

InterestEnhancement

Lack of

Energy Procrastination


Enhance Executive Control Resources


49/57

• Metacognitive skills - first develop an awareness of the short-term mood repair process and its subversive effects on

achievement.• Train on volitional skills such as how to shield one intention from

another or managing intrusive negative emotions associated with

an aversive task by developing emotion-regulation skills (these

are meta-cognitive skills that need to be modelled and taught

explicitly)

• Develop control over immediate impulses through theestablishment of fixed daily routines (specific times for learningand leisure activities).

• Block access to short-term temptations ("pre-empt that whichtempts" - remove distractions from the study area, shut of social

media, etc.)

•Focus on the value of achievement motivation by setting more

difficult academic goals and learning to enjoy performance for itsown sake

• Use peer monitoring with accountability and consequences for not meeting deadlines

• Use self-appraisal methods (e.g., self-tests with criteria formastery included) to improve academic conscientiousness.

43Rabin, L.A., Fogel, J., & Nutter-Upham, K.E. (2011). Academic procrastination in college students: The role of

self-reported executive function. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 33, 344-357.



50/57

Structured procrastination –

Harness your liabilities for motivation

John PerryStanford University



51/57

Extended Will

! Willpower prosthetics

! Triggers, chutes and ladders - lowering the

threshold for action while raising the threshold for

alternatives

! Leverage self-control

! Social support, commitment contracts, scaffolding

your individual effort

45

Joel AndersonUtrecht University



52/57

Self-forgiveness

! If we self-forgive

after we

procrastinate, do

we procrastinate

less the next time

we face a similar

task?

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, 48, 803-808.

Michael WohlCarleton University



53/57

“The last lecture”

! Time must be explicitly managed, like money.

! You can always change your plan, but only if you have one (Make manageable,

concrete task lists and take one step after another.)

! Ask yourself: Are you spending your time on the right things? (Make sure your to-

do-list tasks, your goals, are really worth pursuing.)

! Develop a good filing system. (Organization saves time in the long run.)

! Rethink the telephone (Don't waste time on "hold" - be prepared to do other things

as you wait.)

!

Delegate (Many hands make light work, and everyone needs autonomy.)! Take time out (Everyone needs a break, and not all delay is procrastination.)

! Randy concludes his advice by writing

Randy Pausch(1960 – 2008)

We will all use up all the time that is allotted to us. It isup to us how we decide to use it (Stephen Pychyl).

"Time is all you have. And you may find one daythat you have less than you think."



54/57

Viktor Frankl on Procrastination

! Since my years in the concentration camps, this pattern

has changed. . . I have learned to spend my time more

wisely, indeed to make every minute count. I do this so

that I have time for the things that are really

important" (Frankl, 2000; p. 34, emphasis added).! "Another thing: I try to do everything as soon as possible,

and not at the last moment. This ensures that, when I am

overburdened with work, I will not face the added

pressure of knowing that something is still to be done.

! There is yet a third principle that has guided my work and

it is this: I do the unpleasant tasks before I do the

pleasant ones.

Frankl, V. (2000). Victor Frankl recollections: An autobiography. Cambridge, MA: Basic Books.

Viktor Frankl



55/57

49

Well, he’s finally done. Didwe learn anything?

Did we solve the puzzle?




56/57

50

Personality

Cognitions & Beliefs


Self-Regulation Failure



57/57

Want to know more?www.procrastination.ca

• Research

• Self-help• Podcasts & Carpe Diem


pychyl procrastination presentation march 19 2012

Documents