Beyond Laziness: A Psychological and Cross-Cultural Study of Procrastination

Abstract

Procrastination is the act of unnecessarily and intentionally postponing tasks even though it will create negative consequences. It is often influenced by temporal discounting or the tendency to devalue future benefits when immediate rewards are available. Unlike laziness, which is characterized by a lack of initiative and ambition, procrastination involves feeling motivated but failing to act on that motivation due to a failure of self-regulation. It can happen for academic, occupational, or interpersonal reasons and may disrupt the daily functioning of individuals globally. This paper will examine the significant psychological factors that drive procrastination. Studies have shown that specific personality traits from the Big Five model and procrastination have a strong correlation, with a particular emphasis on traits such as conscientiousness and neuroticism (Hidalgo-Fuentes et al., 2024). Through further research, it has additionally been found that negative emotions, especially common among those with mental health disorders, are linked to procrastinatory behavior. People with internalizing and neurodevelopmental disorders often experience excessive negative emotions, low self-esteem, or impulsivity, each of which contributes significantly to procrastination. Understanding the severity and complexity of the factors that trigger procrastination can make it easier to overcome the detrimental behavior. Rather than simply a time-management issue, procrastination is a psychological response that differs among individuals based on personality traits and mental health disorders. This paper aims to compare procrastination levels across individuals from diverse cultures, environments, and mental health states to understand the primary causes of procrastination.