Procrastination as a self-handicap for men and women: A task-avoidance strategy in a laboratory setting

Procrastination (the lack of time spent practicing before an upcoming targe t task) may be conceptualized as a behavioral self-handicap. In two studies , participants (Study 1, 40 women and 19 men; Study 2, 48 women and 40 men) rated themselves on a measure of chronic procrastination in a general test ing session. When participants reported individually to a laboratory, they were told that their performance on a math task would be measured. However, participants were allowed to practice the task or engage in other, fun act ivities (e.g., playing with a video game or working on a puzzle) for 15 min ; hence, "procrastinate" at practicing. Participants in the first study spe nt an average of 9 of 15 min (60% of the time) procrastinating by working o n all activities except practicing math problems. In the second study, wher e the exact same math task was identified as a fun game, chronic procrastin ators did not practice less than nonprocrastinators, suggesting that procra stination (lack of practice) occurs as a behavioral self-handicap. In both studies, when the task was identified as an important evaluation of cogniti ve skills, chronic procrastinators compared to nonprocrastinators spent mor e time on the fun, alternative tasks and less time preparing for the evalua tion. Procrastination by lack of practicing on a task occurred only when th e task was identified as evaluative, not when the identical task was labele d as a fun or pleasurable activity, (C) 2000 Academic Press.