Why Do We Procrastinate? Present Bias and Optimism

Arbeitspapier

Research has shown that procrastination has signicant adverse effects on individuals, including lower savings and poorer health. Procrastination is typically modeled as resulting from present bias. In this paper we study an alternative: excessively optimistic beliefs about future demands on an individual's time. The models can be distinguished by how individuals respond to information on their past choices. Experimental results refute the hypothesis that present bias is the sole source of dynamic inconsistency, but they are consistent with optimism. These findings offer an explanation for low takeup of commitment and suggest that personalized information on past choices can mitigate procrastination.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 13060

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: General‡ ; Expectations; Speculations ; Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving ; Time Allocation and Labor Supply
• Thema: discounting ; beliefs ; dynamic inconsistency ; real effort

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Breig, Zachary ; Gibson, Matthew ; Shrader, Jeffrey G.
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (wo): Bonn
• (wann): 2020

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/216372
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:43 MEZ