New York College Learning Skills Association

RTDE Issue Contents

Research and Teaching
in Developmental Education

Volume 17, Issue 2, Spring 2001

A Case Study of Procrastination in a Computer Assisted Introductory Psychology Course
By Cathrine Wambach and Thomas Brothen, University of Minnesota, General College

Abstract

Four types of procrastinators have been identified by prior research: avoidance, arousal, fear of failure and disorganized. For this study, four developmental students enrolled in an introductory psychology course taught using a variety of computer assisted and written activities, were identified as representatives of the types of procrastinators and their performance on course tasks was observed over the term. While the students were alike in their tendency to postpone completing course work, they varied in the amount of work they ultimately completed, timing of work, and personality measures.