Comparing active delay and procrastination from a self-regulated learning perspective

doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2011.07.005

Learning and Individual Differences

Volume 21, Issue 5, October 2011, Pages 602-606

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2011.07.005 Get rights and content

Abstract

Researchers have proposed that the act of postponing academic work may be divided into a traditional definition of procrastination, viewed as maladaptive, and adaptive forms of delay. Adaptive forms of delay may be more consistent with certain facets of self-regulated learning. The current study investigated this issue by examining whether the relations between aspects of self-regulated learning and active delay may be distinct from the relations these aspects of self-regulated learning have with procrastination. Among 206 undergraduates, procrastination was positively predicted by mastery-avoidance goals and negatively by metacognitive strategy usage, whereas active delay was negatively predicted by avoidance goals and positively by self-efficacy. Furthermore, students who reported higher levels of active delay also received better grades. These findings provide support that active delay is a distinct form of delay from procrastination that may be more positive due to its associations with some adaptive self-regulatory processes and academic achievement.

Highlights

► We examined active delay; a form of delay different from procrastination. ► Some adaptive self-regulated learning facets were related to active delay. ► Active delay and procrastination were inversely related. ► Achievement goals related differently to active delay vs. procrastination. ► Active delay was positively associated with grades; procrastination was not.

Section snippets

Distinguishing procrastination and active delay

Contrasting the irrational nature of procrastination, researchers have acknowledged that postponing a task can sometimes be an intentional and rational decision (Schouwenburg, 2004, Simpson and Pychyl, 2009). Examples of potentially adaptive types of delay include when individuals postpone a task because they have prioritized other more important tasks or when more information/resources are needed before the target task is executed (Ferrari, 2010). Other adaptive reasons for delaying work

Motivational beliefs and procrastination

Perhaps due to procrastination being characterized as a type of self-regulatory failure, a logical direction research has taken is to examine this phenomenon within a self-regulated learning framework. Common motivational beliefs examined within a self-regulated learning perspective are achievement goals and self-efficacy (e.g., Wolters, 2003).

Achievement goals reflect four different purposes for engaging in achievement behaviors: mastery-approach (learning content), mastery-avoidance (avoiding

The current study

No studies identified to date have examined active delay within a self-regulated learning framework. Therefore, we examined whether the relations between aspects of self-regulated learning (i.e., achievement goals) and active delay would be distinct from the relations these aspects of self-regulated learning have with procrastination. Since procrastination typically is associated with less desirable motivational beliefs and lower strategy usage, we hypothesized that active delay would relate to

Participants

Participants were 206 (74% female; mean age = 24.4; S.D. = 5.5) college students enrolled in a section of a human development course across three different semesters. The sample was ethnically diverse: Hispanic (26%), Caucasian (28%), African American (22%), Asian/Asian American (20%), and Other (4%). Each course section utilized the same syllabus and curriculum, and we controlled for semester in the analyses.

Procedure

Participants completed an online survey consisting of demographics and Likert-scaled items

Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations

Alpha coefficients, descriptive statistics, and correlations among the main variables are reported in Table 1. Pearson correlations indicate that active delay was significantly related to four out of five motivational variables and cognitive and metacognitive strategies. As expected, students with greater self-efficacy (r = .16, p < .05) were more likely to report actively delaying, and students who adopted mastery-avoidance (r = −.54, p < .001) and performance-avoidance goals (r = −.19, p < .01) were less

Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine whether active delay could be distinguished from procrastination and would be more consistent with certain facets of self-regulated learning. Our results add credence to the notion that active delay differs from procrastination and may be a more adaptive form of delay. This is supported by three main findings: a) active delay and procrastination were found to be inversely related, b) procrastination was negatively related to adaptive self-regulatory

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View full text

Comparing active delay and procrastination from a self-regulated learning perspective

Abstract

Highlights

Section snippets

Distinguishing procrastination and active delay

Motivational beliefs and procrastination

The current study

Participants

Procedure

Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations

Discussion

Journal of Research & Personality

Learning and Individual Differences

Personality and Individual Differences

Journal of Research in Personality

Personality and Individual Differences

Personality & Individual Differences

Personality and Individual Differences

A perspective on strategy research: Progress and prospects

Educational Psychology Review

Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change

Psychological Review

Why not procrastinate? Development and validation of a new active procrastination scale

The Journal of Social Psychology

Rethinking procrastination: Positive effects of “active” procrastination behavior on attitudes and performance

The Journal of Social Psychology

Procrastination, temptations, and incentives: The struggle between the present and the future in procrastinators and the punctual

European Journal of Personality

Factorial structure of three procrastination scales with a Spanish adult population

European Journal of Psychological Assessment

A 2 × 2 achievement goal framework

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

On the measurement of achievement goals: Critique, illustration, and application

Journal of Educational Psychology

The relationship of procrastination with a mastery goal versus an avoidance goal

Social Behavior & Personality