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Procrastination, prompts, and preferences: Evidence from daily records of self-directed learning activities

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  • Onji, Kazuki
  • Kikuchi, Rina

Abstract

This paper presents evidence showing that a libertarian paternalistic intervention having significant but uneven effects on the student procrastination of a coursework assignment. We observe the degree of procrastination in a language course at a Japanese university with individuals’ electronic records of daily activities. With a quasi-experiment that generates variations in the frequency of interventions and the preference of students towards the course, we examine the effects of in-class verbal prompts by an instructor on the timing of task completion. We find that prompts affect behavior, especially when reinforced, but the responsiveness depends on the class preferences and the timing of interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Onji, Kazuki & Kikuchi, Rina, 2011. "Procrastination, prompts, and preferences: Evidence from daily records of self-directed learning activities," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 929-941.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:40:y:2011:i:6:p:929-941
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2011.08.019
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    Cited by:

    1. HIGUCHI Yuki & SASAKI Miyuki & NAKAMURO Makiko, 2017. "Impacts of an ICT-assisted Program on Attitudes and English Communicative Abilities: An experiment in a Japanese high school," Discussion papers 17030, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    2. Yuki Higuchi & Miyuki Sasaki & Makiko Nakamuro, 2020. "Impacts of an Information and Communication Technology-Assisted Program on Attitudes and English Communication Abilities: An Experiment in a Japanese High School," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 37(2), pages 100-133, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time-inconsistent preferences; Monitoring; Skill formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access

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