Genetic relations among procrastination, impulsivity, and goal-management ability: implications for the evolutionary origin of procrastination.
Previous research has revealed a moderate and positive correlation between procrastination and impulsivity. However, little is known about why these two constructs are related. In the present study, we used behavior-genetics methodology to test three predictions derived from an evolutionary account that postulates that procrastination arose as a by-product of impulsivity: (a) Procrastination is heritable, (b) the two traits share considerable genetic variation, and (c) goal-management ability is an important component of this shared variation. These predictions were confirmed. First, both procrastination and impulsivity were moderately heritable (46% and 49%, respectively). Second, although the two traits were separable at the phenotypic level (r = .65), they were not separable at the genetic level (r genetic = 1.0). Finally, variation in goal-management ability accounted for much of this shared genetic variation. These results suggest that procrastination and impulsivity are linked primarily through genetic influences on the ability to use high-priority goals to effectively regulate actions.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience daniel.gustavson@colorado.edu.
Daniel E
DE
Gustavson
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
Akira
A
Miyake
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder.
John K
JK
Hewitt
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder.
Naomi P
NP
Friedman
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007206:Individuality; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009042:Motivation / Q000235:genetics*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
goal management; heritability; impulsivity; individual differences; procrastination; self-control