Temporal Motivation Theory

Also known as: Temporal motivation · Irrational delay · Self-regulatory failure

Procrastination is the voluntary, irrational delay of an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay. Temporal motivation theory explains it as a failure of self-regulation where the utility of a task drops as its deadline recedes and competing temptations are temporally closer. The theory integrates expectancy, value, impulsiveness and delay into a single equation.

Source:

Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65-94. Steel, P. (2010). Arousal, avoidant and decisional procrastinators: Do they exist? Personality and Individual Differences, 48(8), 926-934.

DOI:

10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65