A case is presented for regarding individual differences in planful be
havior as a personality trait. Cognitive planning is discussed as a un
ique human ability, as one of the four processes comprising planning,
arousal-attention, simultaneous, and successive coding of information.
After discussing its roots in neuropsychology and cognitive psycholog
y, we present some studies that link individual differences in plannin
g tasks to locus of control, self-concept, and intrinsic motivation. A
nother study also shows that the use of proper strategies in a problem
-solving situation is associated with good planners. In the concluding
remarks we suggest that planning is a dynamic rather than a static tr
ait of characterizing the holistic nature of activities of every indiv
idual. Improvement of planful behavior is discussed as a possibility d
ependent on the social and personal history of an individual.