Procrastination is a kind of behavior which delays beginning or completing an intended course of action, reflected as differences between intention and behavior. Procrastination is extremely prevalent. Several studies have shown that 50% -95% of the students are procrastinators. Procrastination has negative effects on physical and mental health, and also causes negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety and guilt. Procrastination is also associated with poorer performance in learning and work areas. In this study, the extended theory of planned behavior framework was used to explore the impacting factors and dynamic process of procrastination behavior. Specifically, the completion of weekly study goals as the indicator of procrastination was studied using quasi-experimental design in 134 undergraduates with the help of a daily diary. The conclusions as follow: First, attitudes and perceived behavioral control had significant negative effects on procrastination behaviors, and the main effects of descriptive norm were not significant. Behavioral intention partially mediated the effects of attitudes and perceived behavioral control on procrastination. Forming implementation intention was helpful to reduce procrastination behaviors. Implementation intention moderated the relationship between behavioral intention and procrastination. Specifically, when behavioral intentions were stronger, the participants who formed implementation intentions procrastinated the least. Second, from the view of procrastination dynamic process, when the behavior attitude was more positive, the perceived behavioral control was stronger, and behavioral intention was stronger, the speed of task completion would be higher. And formation of implementation intention helped participants to work faster. The results give important theoretical and practical insights into procrastination. The extended theory of planned behavior provides an effective comprehensive theoretical framework for explaining and predicting the influence factors and changing process of procrastination. These results also have important implications for reducing procrastination by motivational and volitional interventions, especially simply forming implement intention, a specific behavior plan.
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