A PREFERENCE FOR A FAVORABLE PUBLIC IMPRESSION BY PROCRASTINATORS - SELECTING AMONG COGNITIVE AND SOCIAL TASKS

The personality disorder of dispositional procrastination was significantly related to a concern for appropriate self-presentations. Procrastinators (n = 39) and nonprocrastinators (n = 36) rated a social ability task more attractive, personally relevant and likely to be performed well than a cognitive ability task. Procrastinators and nonprocrastinators stated they would prefer to complete the social task, yet in a public performance feedback condition procrastinators only chose to complete the cognitive task. Results were interpreted in terms of self-presentation strategies by dispositional procrastinators, and draws attention to a pathological personality that has largely been ignored by research psychologists. © 1991.