TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Breig, Zachary
AU  - Gibson, Matthew
AU  - Shrader, Jeffrey G.
        TI  - Why Do We Procrastinate? Present Bias and Optimism
        PY  - 2020/Mar/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 13060
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp13060
        AB  - Research has shown that procrastination has signicant adverse effects on individuals, including lower savings and poorer health. Procrastination is typically modeled as resulting from present bias. In this paper we study an alternative: excessively optimistic beliefs about future demands on an individual's time. The models can be distinguished by how individuals respond to information on their past choices. Experimental results refute the hypothesis that present bias is the sole source of dynamic inconsistency, but they are consistent with optimism. These findings offer an explanation for low takeup of commitment and suggest that personalized information on past choices can mitigate procrastination.
        KW  - real effort
KW  - beliefs
KW  - dynamic inconsistency
KW  - discounting
        ER  -