Not Through Fear But Through Habit. Procrastination, cognitive capabilities and self-confidence

In this paper we use data generated within an electronic learning environment to explore the relationship between procrastination and academic performance. Our findings suggest that while procrastinators do obtain lower marks, they show the same cognitive capabilities and the same level of confidence in their knowledge as non-procrastinating students. The results also show that students are, at least in part, aware of their tendency to delay, when they choose to postpone their task, but that delayed deadlines do not improve performance. The tendency to procrastinate is more likely a behavioural tendency than a rational choice reflecting a study strategy.