Top

Gepubliceerd in:

22-05-2020 | Original Article

I could do it now, but I’d rather (forget to) do it later: examining links between procrastination and prospective memory failures

Auteurs: Sascha Zuber, Nicola Ballhausen, Maximilian Haas, Stéphanie Cauvin, Chloé Da Silva Coelho, Anne-Sophie Daviet, Andreas Ihle, Matthias Kliegel

Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research | Uitgave 4/2021

Abstract

Prospective memory (PM) represents the ability to remember to perform planned actions after a certain delay. As previous studies suggest that even brief task-delays can negatively affect PM performance, the current study set out to examine whether procrastination (intentionally delaying task execution despite possible negative consequences) may represent a factor contributing to PM failures. Specifically, we assessed procrastination (via a standardized questionnaire as well as an objective behavioral measure) and PM failures (via a naturalistic PM task) in 92 young adults. Results show that participants’ self-reports as well as their actual procrastination behavior predicted the number of PM failures, corroborating the impact of procrastination on PM. Subsequent cluster analyses suggest three distinct procrastination profiles (non-procrastinators, conscious procrastinators and unconscious procrastinators), providing new conceptual insights into different mechanisms of how procrastinating may lead to forgetting to perform planned tasks.

vorige artikel Functions of spontaneous and voluntary future thinking: evidence from subjective ratings

volgende artikel In Medio Stat Virtus: intermediate levels of mind wandering improve episodic memory encoding in a virtual environment

An exploratory factor analysis on the PPS self-reports revealed that item 4 did not distinguish between the two dimensions of procrastination (high factor loadings on voluntary (= 0.44) and observed delay (= 0.49); for details, see Zuber et al. (2020). Consequently, item 4 was removed from subsequent analyses.

We thank an anonymous reviewer for suggesting this possibility.

Aberle, I., & Kliegel, M. (2010). Time-based prospective memory performance in young children. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 7(4), 419–431. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405620802507707.CrossRef

Aberle, I., Rendell, P. G., Rose, N. S., McDaniel, M. A., & Kliegel, M. (2010). The age prospective memory paradox: Young adults may not give their best outside of the lab. Developmental Psychology, 46(6), 1444–1453. https://doi.org/10.1037/A0020718.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Altgassen, M., Scheres, A., & Edel, M.-A. (2019). Prospective memory (partially) mediates the link between ADHD symptoms and procrastination. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 11(1), 59–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-018-0273-x.CrossRefPubMed

Ballhausen, N., Hering, A., Rendell, P. G., & Kliegel, M. (2019a). Prospective Memory across the Lifespan. In J. Rummel & M. A. McDaniel (Eds.), Prospective Memory. London/New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

Ballhausen, N., Kliegel, M., & Rimmele, U. (2019b). Stress and prospective memory: What is the role of cortisol? Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 161, 169–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2019.04.010.CrossRefPubMed

Bartlett, M. S. (1937). The statistical conception of mental factors. British Journal of Psychology, 28, 97–104.

Bedard, M., Verma, S., Collins, B., Song, X., & Paquet, L. (2016). Prospective memory impairment in chemotherapy-exposed early breast cancer survivors: Preliminary evidence from a clinical test. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 34(4), 291–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2016.1181133.CrossRefPubMed

Brandimonte, M. A., Einstein, G. O., & McDaniel, M. A. (1996). Prospective Memory: Theory and Application. Mahwah: Erlbaum.

Burkard, C., Rochat, L., Emmenegger, J., Van der Linden, A. C. J., Gold, G., & Van der Linden, M. (2014). Implementation intentions improve prospective memory and inhibition performances in older adults: The role of visualization. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 28(5), 640–652. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3046.CrossRef

Cauvin, S., Moulin, C., Souchay, C., Schnitzspahn, K., & Kliegel, M. (2019). Laboratory vs. naturalistic prospective memory task predictions: young adults are overconfident outside of the laboratory. Memory, 27(5), 592–602. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2018.1540703.

Chen, Y. Z., Lian, R., Yang, L. X., Liu, J. R., & Meng, Y. F. (2017). Working memory load and reminder effect on event-based prospective memory of high- and low-achieving students in math. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50(5), 602–608. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219416668322.CrossRefPubMed

Choi, J. N., & Moran, S. V. (2009). Why not procrastinate? Development and validation of a new active procrastination scale. The Journal of Social Psychology, 149(2), 195–212. https://doi.org/10.3200/SOCP.149.2.195-212.CrossRefPubMed

Chowdhury, S. F., & Pychyl, T. A. (2018). A critique of the construct validity of active procrastination. Personality and Individual Differences, 120, 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.016.CrossRef

Chu, A. H. C., & Choi, J. N. (2005). Rethinking procrastination: Positive effects of "active" procrastination behavior on attitudes and performance. The Journal of Social Psychology, 145(3), 245–264. https://doi.org/10.3200/SOCP.145.3.245-264.CrossRefPubMed

Clatworthy, J., Buick, D., Hankins, M., Weinman, J., & Horne, R. (2005). The use and reporting of cluster analysis in health psychology: A review. British Journal of Health Psychology, 10(3), 329–358. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910705x25697.CrossRefPubMed

Crovitz, H. F., & Daniel, W. F. (1984). Measurements of everyday memory—Toward the prevention of forgetting. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 22(5), 413–414. Retrieved from %3cGo to ISI%3e://WOS:A1984TV07900012.

DiStefano, C., Zhu, M., & Mîndrilă, D. (2009). Understanding and using factor scores: Considerations for the applied researcher. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 14(20).

Einstein, G. O., & McDaniel, M. A. (1990). Normal aging and prospective memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology-Learning Memory and Cognition, 16(4), 717–726. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.16.4.717.CrossRef

Einstein, G. O., McDaniel, M. A., Manzi, M., Cochran, B., & Baker, M. (2000). Prospective memory and aging: Forgetting intentions over short delays. Psychology and Aging, 15(4), 671–683. https://doi.org/10.1037//0882-7974.15.4.671.CrossRefPubMed

Ferrari, J. R. (2001). Getting things done on time: Conquering procrastination. In C. R. Snyder (Ed.), Coping with stress: Effective people and processes (pp. 30–46). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493.CrossRef

Gustavson, D. E., & Miyake, A. (2017). Academic procrastination and goal accomplishment: A combined experimental and individual differences investigation. Learning and Individual Differences, 54, 160–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2017.01.010.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Haas, M., Zuber, S., Kliegel, M., & Ballhausen, N. (2020). Prospective Memory Errors in Everyday Life: Does Instruction Matter? Memory, 28(2), 196–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2019.1707227.CrossRefPubMed

Harriott, J., & Ferrari, J. R. (1996). Prevalence of procrastination among samples of adults. Psychological Reports, 78(2), 611–616. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.611.CrossRef

Henry, J. D., MacLeod, M. S., Phillips, L. H., & Crawford, J. R. (2004). A meta-analytic review of prospective memory and aging. Psychology and Aging, 19(1), 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.1.27.CrossRefPubMed

Hensley, L. C. (2014). Reconsidering active procrastination: Relations to motivation and achievement in college anatomy. Learning and Individual Differences, 36, 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.10.012.CrossRef

Hering, A., Kliegel, M., Rendell, P. G., Craik, F. I. M., & Rose, N. S. (2018). Prospective memory is a key predictor of functional independence in older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 24(6), 640–645. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617718000152.CrossRefPubMed

Hering, A., Phillips, L. H., & Kliegel, M. (2014). Importance effects on age differences in performance in event-based prospective memory. Gerontology, 60(1), 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1159/000355057.CrossRefPubMed

Kelly, A. J., Hertzog, C., Hayes, M. G., & Smith, A. D. (2013). The effects of age and focality on delay-execute prospective memory. Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 20(1), 101–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2012.691152.

Kliegel, M., & Jäger, T. (2006). Delayed-execute prospective memory performance: The effects of age and working memory. Developmental Neuropsychology, 30(3), 819–843.CrossRef

Kliegel, M., Martin, M., McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (2002). Complex prospective memory and executive control of working memory: A process model. Psychologische Beiträge, 22, 303–318.

Kliegel, M., McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (Eds.). (2008). Prospective memory: Cognitive, neuroscience, developmental, and applied perspectives. Mahweh: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Krause, K., & Freund, A. M. (2014). Delay or procrastination—A comparison of self-report and behavioral measures of procrastination and their impact on affective well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 63, 75–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.050.CrossRef

Kroese, F. M., & de Ridder, D. T. D. (2016). Health behaviour procrastination: A novel reasoned route towards self-regulatory failure. Health Psychology Review, 10(3), 313–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1116019.CrossRefPubMed

Kuhlmann, B. G. (2019). Metacognition of prospective memory: Will I remember to remember? In J. Rummel & M. A. McDaniel (Eds.), Prospective Memory (pp. 60–77). London: Routledge.CrossRef

Kvavilashvili, L., & Ellis, J. (1996). Varieties of intention: some distinctions and classifications. In M. Brandimonte, G. O. Einstein, & M. A. McDaniel (Eds.), Prospective memory: Theory and applications. Mahwah: Erlbaum.

Mahy, C. E. V., Moses, L. J., & Kliegel, M. (2014). The impact of age, ongoing task difficulty, and cue salience on preschoolers' prospective memory performance: The role of executive function. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 127, 52–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2014.01.006.CrossRefPubMed

McCrea, S. M., Liberman, N., Trope, Y., & Sherman, S. J. (2008). Construal level and procrastination. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1308–1314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02240.x.CrossRefPubMed

McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (2000). Strategic and automatic processes in prospective memory retrieval: A multiprocess framework. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 14, 127–144. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.775.CrossRef

McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (2007). Prospective memory: A new research enterprise. In M. A. McDaniel & G. O. Einstein (Eds.), Prospective memory: An overview and synthesis of an emerging field (pp. 1–12). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Inc.

McDaniel, M. A., Einstein, G. O., Stout, A. C., & Morgan, Z. (2003). Aging and maintaining intentions over delays: Do it or lose it. Psychology and Aging, 18(4), 823–835. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.18.4.823.CrossRefPubMed

McFarland, C. P., & Glisky, E. L. (2011). Implementation intentions and prospective memory among older adults: An investigation of the role of frontal lobe function. Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, 18(6), 633–652. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2011.613449.CrossRef

Mioni, G., & Stablum, F. (2014). Monitoring behaviour in a time-based prospective memory task: The involvement of executive functions and time perception. Memory, 22(5), 536–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2013.801987.CrossRefPubMed

Nelson, T. O., & Narens, L. (1990). Metamemory: A theoretical framework and new findings. In G. H. Bower (Ed.), Psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 26, pp. 125–173). New York: Academic Press.

Owens, S. G., Bowman, C. G., & Dill, C. A. (2008). Overcoming procrastination: The effect of implementation intentions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38(2), 366–384. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00309.x.CrossRef

Piefke, M., & Glienke, K. (2017). The effects of stress on prospective memory: A systematic review. Psychology & Neuroscience, 10(3), 345–362. https://doi.org/10.1037/pne0000102.CrossRef

Raskin, S. A., & Sohlberg, M. M. (1996). The efficacy of prospective memory training in two adults with brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 11(3), 32–51. Retrieved from %3cGo to ISI%3e://A1996UP77400007

Rebetez, M. M. L., Rochat, L., Gay, P., & Van der Linden, M. (2014). Validation of a French version of the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS). Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(6), 1442–1447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.04.024.CrossRefPubMed

Rendell, P. G., & Thomson, D. M. (1999). Aging and prospective memory: Differences between naturalistic and laboratory tasks. Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 54(4), P256–P269. Retrieved from %3cGo to ISI%3e://000082097400007.

Rotenstein, A., Davis, H. Z., & Tatum, L. (2009). Early birds versus just-in-timers: The effect of procrastination on academic performance of accounting students. Journal of Accounting Education, 27(4), 223–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccedu.2010.08.001.CrossRef

Rummel, J., & Meiser, T. (2013). The role of metacognition in prospective memory: Anticipated task demands influence attention allocation strategies. Consciousness and Cognition, 22(3), 931–943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2013.06.006.CrossRefPubMed

Schaper, P., & Grundgeiger, T. (2018). The effect of different distractions on remembering delayed intentions. Memory, 26(2), 154–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2017.1339090.CrossRefPubMed

Schmitter-Edgecombe, M., Woo, E., & Greeley, D. R. (2009). Characterizing multiple memory deficits and their relation to everyday functioning in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology, 23(2), 168–177. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014186.CrossRefPubMed

Schnitzspahn, K. M., Ihle, A., Henry, J. D., Rendell, P. G., & Kliegel, M. (2011). The age-prospective memory-paradox: An exploration of possible mechanisms. International Psychogeriatrics, 23(4), 583–592. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210001651.CrossRefPubMed

Schraw, G., Wadkins, T., & Olafson, L. (2007). Doing the things we do: A grounded theory of academic procrastination. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 12–25. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.1.12.CrossRef

Scullin, M. K., & McDaniel, M. A. (2010). Remembering to execute a goal: Sleep on it! Psychological Science, 21(7), 1028–1035. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610373373.CrossRefPubMed

Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65.CrossRefPubMed

Steel, P. (2010). Arousal, avoidant and decisional procrastinators: Do they exist? Personality and Individual Differences, 48(8), 926–934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.02.025.CrossRef

Steel, P., Brothen, T., & Wambach, C. (2001). Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood. Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), 95–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00013-1.CrossRef

Svartdal, F., Granmo, S., & Færevaag, F. S. (2018). On the behavioral side of procrastination: Exploring behavioral delay in real-life settings. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(746). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00746.

Svartdal, F., & Steel, P. (2017). Irrational delay revisited: Examining five procrastination scales in a global sample. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1927. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01927.CrossRefPubMed

Terry, W. S. (1988). Everyday forgetting—Data from a diary study. Psychological Reports, 62(1), 299–303. Retrieved from %3cGo to ISI%3e://WOS:A1988M391200060.

Woods, S. P., Weinborn, M., Li, Y. Q. R., Hodgson, E., Ng, A. R. J., & Bucks, R. S. (2015). Does prospective memory influence quality of life in community-dwelling older adults? Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, 22(6), 679–692. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2015.1027651.CrossRef

Woods, S. P., Weinborn, M., Velnoweth, A., Rooney, A., & Bucks, R. S. (2012). Memory for intentions is uniquely associated with instrumental activities of daily living in healthy older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 18(1), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617711001263.CrossRefPubMed

Zeintl, M., Kliegel, M., Rast, P., & Zimprich, D. (2006). Prospective memory complaints can be predicted by prospective memory performance in older adults. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 22(3), 209–215. https://doi.org/10.1159/000094915.CrossRefPubMed

Zimmermann, T. D., & Meier, B. (2010). The effect of implementation intentions on prospective memory performance across the lifespan. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24(5), 645–658. https://doi.org/10.1002/Acp.1576.CrossRef

Zuber, S., Cauvin, S., Haas, M., Daviet, A.-S., Da Silva Coelho, C., & Kliegel, M. (2020). Do self-reports of procrastination predict actual behavior? (manuscript in preparation).

Zuber, S., & Kliegel, M. (in press). Prospective memory development across the lifespan: An integrative framework. European Psychologist.

Zuber, S., Kliegel, M., & Ihle, A. (2016). An individual difference perspective on focal versus nonfocal prospective memory. Memory & Cognition, 44(8), 1192–1203. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-016-0628-5.CrossRef

Titel: I could do it now, but I’d rather (forget to) do it later: examining links between procrastination and prospective memory failures
Auteurs: Sascha Zuber
Nicola Ballhausen
Maximilian Haas
Stéphanie Cauvin
Chloé Da Silva Coelho
Anne-Sophie Daviet
Andreas Ihle
Matthias Kliegel
Publicatiedatum: 22-05-2020
Uitgeverij: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research / Uitgave 4/2021
Print ISSN: 0340-0727
Elektronisch ISSN: 1430-2772
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-020-01357-6

Andere artikelen Uitgave 4/2021

Local perception impairs the lexical reading route

Original Article

Enhancing task-demands disrupts learning but enhances transfer gains in short-term task-switching training

Open Access
Original Article

Exploring to learn and learning to explore

Review

Gender differences in the experienced emotional intensity of experimentally induced memories of negative scenes

Original Article

Short-term memory of temporal information revisited

Open Access
Original Article

Inhibitory mechanisms in motor imagery: disentangling different forms of inhibition using action mode switching

Original Article

Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Welkom bij THIM Hogeschool voor Fysiotherapie & Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Registreer

Login

I could do it now, but I’d rather (forget to) do it later: examining links between procrastination and prospective memory failures

Abstract

Andere artikelen Uitgave 4/2021

Local perception impairs the lexical reading route

Enhancing task-demands disrupts learning but enhances transfer gains in short-term task-switching training

Exploring to learn and learning to explore

Gender differences in the experienced emotional intensity of experimentally induced memories of negative scenes

Short-term memory of temporal information revisited

Inhibitory mechanisms in motor imagery: disentangling different forms of inhibition using action mode switching

Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Welkom bij THIM Hogeschool voor Fysiotherapie & Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Registreer

Login

Deel dit onderdeel of sectie (kopieer de link)

Abstract

Log in om toegang te krijgen

Local perception impairs the lexical reading route

Enhancing task-demands disrupts learning but enhances transfer gains in short-term task-switching training

Exploring to learn and learning to explore

Gender differences in the experienced emotional intensity of experimentally induced memories of negative scenes

Short-term memory of temporal information revisited

Inhibitory mechanisms in motor imagery: disentangling different forms of inhibition using action mode switching