Procrastination, consideration of future consequences, and episodic future thinking

Marie My Lien Rebetez; Catherine Barsics; Lucien Rochat; Arnaud D'Argembeau; Martial Van der Linden

doi:10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.003

Procrastination, consideration of future consequences, and episodic future thinking

Conscious Cogn. 2016 May:42:286-292. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.003. Epub 2016 Apr 22.

Authors

Marie My Lien Rebetez¹, Catherine Barsics², Lucien Rochat², Arnaud D'Argembeau³, Martial Van der Linden⁴

Affiliations

¹ Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
⁴ Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.

PMID: 27107893
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.003

Abstract

Despite the intrinsic temporal nature of procrastination, little research has examined the link between this form of self-regulatory failure and the consideration of future consequences, and no study has addressed the link between procrastination and episodic future thinking. The aim of the present study was to explore these relationships. Participants were asked to project themselves into possible future events and to rate the amount of sensory-perceptual details and autonoetic consciousness associated with their representations. They were also asked to complete questionnaires that assessed procrastination, the consideration of future consequences, and negative affect. Results showed that both the consideration of future consequences and episodic future thinking were associated with procrastination, and in particular with procrastination-related decision making abilities and procrastination-related motivational dispositions, respectively.

Keywords: Consideration of future consequences; Episodic future thinking; Procrastination; Prospection; Time perspective.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Decision Making / physiology*
Female
Humans
Imagination / physiology*
Male
Motivation / physiology*
Procrastination / physiology*
Thinking / physiology*
Young Adult