“There Is No 'Later' in 'I’ll Do It Later'”: integrating the motivational and cognitive factors of online procrastination through the reflective-impulsive model

The phenomenon of online procrastination—the needless delay of tasks using the Internet—has been relatively underexplored in the existing literature, particularly regarding how motivational and cognitive factors interact to drive procrastinatory behavior. Much research has treated procrastination primarily as a failure of self-control, overlooking the complexity of self-regulation and the broader emotional, cognitive, and motivational processes involved. Additionally, previous studies have largely focused on chronic procrastination tendencies, neglecting the nuances of momentary procrastination behavior and its real-time manifestation, especially in digital environments rife with distractions. The literature also lacks a comprehensive model that accounts for both the presence and absence of tempting task alternatives in the context of online procrastination. This dissertation addresses these gaps by proposing a dual-systems model of online procrastination. The model integrates motivational aspects of procrastination, such as boredom and task aversiveness, with its cognitive aspects, including self-control and impulsivity. A significant focus is placed on boredom as a motivational element, emphasizing its central role in online procrastination through situation-level (e.g., momentary boredom) and person-level (e.g., chronic proneness to get bored) factors. Additionally, the model incorporates a reflective-impulsive framework, explaining procrastination through the interplay between deliberate, slow processes and automatic, impulsive ones. To support this model, seven empirical studies (including both lab-based and online experiments) and one qualitative online survey were conducted, examining both trait and state levels of online procrastination. The findings demonstrate that increased feelings of boredom are associated with higher levels of online procrastination at multiple levels and suggest that different factors—such as task evaluations—may influence procrastination differently depending on whether a task is new or ongoing. Overall, this dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of how engagement with online media serves as a means of procrastination. The findings underscore the importance of considering both motivational and cognitive determinants of procrastination. The proposed model provides a comprehensive foundation for future research aimed at developing interventions to mitigate procrastinatory behaviors, with relevance for individuals in everyday life, workplaces, and academic settings.