Genetic Relations Among Procrastination, Impulsivity, and Goal-Management Ability
Daniel E. Gustavson, Akira Miyake, John K. Hewitt, Naomi P. Friedman
Psychological Science · 2014 · Volume 25 · Issue 6
Abstract
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.
Keywords
procrastination, impulsivity, goal management, self-control, heritability, individual differences
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