Editing Procrastination (section)

==Psychological perspective==
The [[Pleasure principle (psychology)|pleasure principle]] may be responsible for procrastination; one may prefer to avoid negative emotions by delaying stressful tasks. In 2019, a research conducted by Rinaldi et al. indicated that measurable cognitive impairments may play a role in procrastination.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rinaldi |first1=Anthony Robert |last2=Roper |first2=Carrie Lurie |last3=Mehm |first3=John |date=2019 |title=Procrastination as evidence of executive functioning impairment in college students |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23279095.2019.1684293 |journal=Applied Neuropsychology: Adult |language=en |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=697–706 |doi=10.1080/23279095.2019.1684293 |pmid=31679406 |s2cid=207897153 |issn=2327-9095 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-04-08 |archive-date=2022-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408172104/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23279095.2019.1684293 |url-status=live }}</ref> As the deadline for their target of procrastination grows closer, they are more stressed and may, thus, decide to procrastinate more to avoid this stress.<ref>{{cite news|author=Pychyl, T.|date=20 February 2012|access-date=20 February 2012|title=The real reasons you procrastinate — and how to stop|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/27/why-you-cant-help-read-this-article-about-procrastination-instead-of-doing-your-job/|archive-date=24 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824060442/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/27/why-you-cant-help-read-this-article-about-procrastination-instead-of-doing-your-job/|url-status=live}}</ref> Some [[psychologist]]s cite such behavior as a [[Coping|mechanism for coping]] with the [[anxiety]] associated with starting or completing any task or decision.<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Penguin Group| isbn = 978-1-58542-552-5| last = Fiore| first = Neil A| title = The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play| location = New York| year = 2006| page = [https://archive.org/details/nowhabitstrategi00fior_0/page/5 5]| url = https://archive.org/details/nowhabitstrategi00fior_0/page/5}}</ref> Piers Steel indicated in 2010 that anxiety is just as likely to induce people to start working early as late, and that the focus of studies on procrastination should be [[Impulsivity|impulsiveness]]. That is, anxiety will cause people to delay only if they are impulsive.<ref name=Steel2010>{{cite book |last=Steel |first=Piers | title=The procrastination equation: how to stop putting things off and start getting stuff done |year=2011 |publisher=HarperCollins | publication-place=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/procrastinatione00stee | isbn=978-0-06-170362-1 | oclc=754770758 | page= 13}}</ref>

=== Coping responses ===
Negative [[Coping (psychology)|coping]] responses of procrastination tend to be avoidant or emotional rather than task-oriented or focused on problem-solving. Emotional and avoidant coping is employed to reduce stress (and [[cognitive dissonance]]) associated with delaying intended and important personal goals. This option provides immediate pleasure and is consequently very attractive to impulsive procrastinators, at the point of discovery of the achievable goals at hand.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1520-8583.2007.00127.x |title=Self-Deception As Pretense |year=2007 |last1=Gendler |first1=Tamar Szabó |journal=Philosophical Perspectives |volume=21 |pages=231–58}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Gosling|first=J.|title=Weakness of the Will|year=1990|publisher=Routledge|location=New York}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=January 2012}} There are several emotion-oriented strategies, similar to Freudian [[defense mechanisms]], coping styles and [[self-handicapping]].

Coping responses of procrastinators include the following:<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rahimi |first1=Sonia |last2=Hall |first2=Nathan C. |last3=Sticca |first3=Fabio |date=2023-03-27 |title=Understanding academic procrastination: A Longitudinal analysis of procrastination and emotions in undergraduate and graduate students |url=http://escholarship.mcgill.ca/downloads/k643b548r |journal=Motivation and Emotion |volume=47 |issue=4 |pages=554–574 |language=en |doi=10.1007/s11031-023-10010-9 |s2cid=257793609 |issn=0146-7239 |url-access= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919134323/https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/downloads/k643b548r |archive-date=2023-09-19 |access-date=2023-09-14 }}</ref>
* [[Avoidance coping|Avoidance]]: Avoiding the location or situation where the task takes place.
* [[Denial]] and [[Minimisation (psychology)|trivialization]]: Pretending that procrastinatory behavior is not actually procrastinating, but rather a task which is more important than the avoided one, or that the essential task that should be done is not of immediate importance.
* [[Distraction]]: Engaging or immersing oneself in other behaviors or actions to prevent awareness of the task.
* Descending [[Counterfactual thinking|counterfactuality]]: Comparing consequences of one's procrastinatory behavior with others' worse situations.
* Valorisation: Pointing in satisfaction to what one achieved in the meantime while one should have been doing something else.
* Blaming: Delusional attributions to external factors, such as rationalizing that the procrastination is due to external forces beyond one's control.
* Mocking: Using humor to validate one's procrastination.

Task- or problem-solving measures are taxing from a procrastinator's outlook. If such measures are pursued, it is less likely the procrastinator would remain a procrastinator. However, pursuing such measures requires actively changing one's behavior or situation to prevent and minimize the re-occurrence of procrastination.

In 2006, it was suggested that [[neuroticism]] has no direct links to procrastination and that any relationship is fully mediated by [[conscientiousness]].<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.paid.2005.05.010 |title=A Closer Look at the Relationships Among Trait Procrastination, Neuroticism, and Conscientiousness |year=2006 |last1=Lee |first1=Dong-gwi |last2=Kelly |first2=Kevin R. |last3=Edwards |first3=Jodie K. |journal=Personality and Individual Differences |volume=40 |pages=27–37}}</ref> In 1982, it had been suggested that irrationality was an inherent feature of procrastination. "Putting things off even until the last moment isn't procrastination if there is a reason to believe that they will take only that moment".<ref name="Sabini & Silver.">Sabini, J. & Silver, M. (1982) Moralities of everyday life, p. 128</ref> Steel ''et al.'' explained in 2001, "actions must be postponed and this postponement must represent poor, inadequate, or inefficient planning".<ref name="Steel2001">{{cite journal | last1 = Steel | first1 = P. | last2 = Brothen | first2 = T. | last3 = Wambach | first3 = C. | year = 2001 | title = Procrastination and Personality, Performance and Mood | journal = Personality and Individual Differences| volume = 30| pages = 95–106| doi=10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00013-1}}</ref>