Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/96789 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 8021
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Procrastination produces harmful effects for human capital investments and studying activities. Using data from a large sample of Italian undergraduates, we measure procrastination with the actual behaviour of students, considering the delay in finalizing their university enrolment procedure. We firstly show that procrastination is a strong predictor of students' educational achievements. This result holds true controlling for quite reliable measures of cognitive abilities, a number of background characteristics and indicators of students' motivation. Secondly, we investigate, using a Regression Discontinuity Design, the effects of a remedial program in helping students with different propensity to procrastinate. We show that the policy especially advantages students who tend to procrastinate, suggesting that also policies not directly aimed at handling procrastination can help to solve self-control problems.
Subjects: 
procrastination
self-control
time preferences
time consistency
impatience
human capital
academic success
dropout
remedial courses
JEL: 
D03
I21
D91
J01
J24
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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