Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Psychology

Supervisor

Saklofske, Donald

Abstract

The relationship between perfectionism and procrastination has been established in the literature; however, findings regarding the magnitude of this correlation are inconsistent. Some studies found small-to-medium effects between trait-perfectionism and trait-procrastination, while others found large effects between perfectionistic cognitions and procrastinatory cognitions, suggesting that the association may be stronger when assessed from a cognitive perspective. The present study addressed this inconsistency, by exploring this association using both trait and cognitive measures. There was a significant and positive correlation between perfectionism and procrastination, and the largest effect size was observed between perfectionism (trait and cognitive measures) and procrastinatory cognitions, suggesting that perfectionists are not necessarily procrastinating more but are rather more cognitively distressed by their procrastinatory tendencies.

This study also addressed the mediating roles of two variables: fear of failure (FF), and overgeneralization of failure (OGF). While previous research showed that FF is linked to both perfectionism and procrastination, the role of OGF in this association has been unexamined. Findings in this study showed that FF mediated all (trait and cognitive) pathways between perfectionism and procrastination, and OGF mediated almost all pathways. Further, there was a sequential mediation, via FF followed by OGF, for all (but one) pathways between perfectionism and procrastination. This finding suggests that fear of failure predicts the tendency to overgeneralize failures to one’s global sense of self, and this combination of effects drives the association between perfectionism and procrastination.

Summary for Lay Audience

Perfectionism is the tendency to set unrealistically high standards for oneself, and to be critical of one’s own behaviours. Procrastination is the irrational delay of an intended action, that occurs with awareness of the long-term negative consequences of this delay. Studies have found that perfectionism and procrastination are positively correlated, but mixed findings exist regarding the strength of this relationship. Some studies reported a small-to-medium magnitude, while others reported a large magnitude in the correlation between perfectionism and procrastination. It appears that, when the constructs are measured from a cognitive perspective (underlying thoughts), the correlation is stronger than when they are measured from a trait perspective (tendencies and behaviours). The present study addressed this inconsistency, by exploring both trait and cognitive perspectives. The relationship between perfectionism and procrastination was significant and positive, and the strongest relationship occurred when procrastination was measured from a cognitive perspective, suggesting that perfectionists are not necessarily procrastinating more but are rather more cognitively distressed by their procrastinatory tendencies.

This study also addressed the mediating roles of two variables: fear of failure (FF), and overgeneralization of failure (OGF). FF occurs when an individual is afraid of failure because there are negative consequences associated with failure, while OGF occurs when an individual generalizes a failure to his/her global sense of self (e.g., “I am a failure”). While previous research showed that FF is linked to both perfectionism and procrastination, the role of OGF in this association has been unexamined. Findings in this study showed that FF mediated all the relationships between perfectionism and procrastination (when they were assessed from both trait and cognitive perspectives), and OGF mediated almost all of the relationships. Further, there was a sequential mediation, via FF followed by OGF, for all (but one) relationships between perfectionism and procrastination. This finding suggests that FF predicts the tendency to overgeneralize failures to one’s global sense of self, and this combination of effects drives the association between perfectionism and procrastination.

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