A Motivational Life-Span Perspective on Procrastination: The Development of Delaying Goal Pursuit Across Adulthood. Issue 3 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaftan, Oliver J.; Freund, Alexandra M.
• Is Part Of: Research in human development. Volume 15:Issue 3/4(2018)
• Page Start: 252
• Page End: 264
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; Human growth -- Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1080/15427609.2018.1489096
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1542-7609

Abstract

Abstract : Procrastination is a common self-regulation failure that has been studied mainly in the educational context, but has been largely neglected in life-span psychology. Adopting a life-span motivational perspective, we focus on adult development and maintain that, historically seen, adults nowadays have to take on a more active role in pursuing their goals due to the deregulation of the life course and increased life expectancy. This requires higher self-regulatory skills, particularly with increasing age. When self-regulation fails, people may postpone developmental goals and experience negative consequences. We propose research questions that might foster the understanding of procrastination from a life-span perspective.