Procrastination and Impatience
42 Pages Posted: 24 Aug 2011
There are 4 versions of this paper
Procrastination and Impatience
Procrastination and Impatience
Procrastination and Impatience
Procrastination and Impatience
Date Written: May 1, 2010
Abstract
We use a combination of lab and field evidence to study whether preferences for immediacy and the tendency to procrastinate are connected as in O'Donoghue and Rabin (1999a). To measure immediacy, we have participants choose between smaller-sooner and larger-later rewards. Both rewards are paid by check to control for transaction costs. To measure procrastination, we record how fast participants cash their checks and complete other tasks. We find that individuals with a preference for immediacy are more likely to procrastinate. We also find evidence that individuals differ in the degree to which they anticipate their own procrastination.
Keywords: procrastination, impatience, hyperbolic discounting, discount rates
JEL Classification: D01, D03, D90
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation