An ego identity perspective on volitional action: Identity status, agency, and procrastination

• Published in: Personality and individual differences 2007-09, Vol.43 (4), p.901-911
• Main Authors: Shanahan, Matthew J., Pychyl, Timothy A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agency; Biological and medical sciences; Ego executive function; Ego identity; Ego synthetic function; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Identity status; Personality traits; Personality. Affectivity; Procrastination; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Volition; Volitional action
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2007.02.013

Identity has been positively related to agency. Agency theoretically confers the capacity for action required for timely task completion. Given this theoretical link between identity and procrastination, we hypothesized that level of ego identity development would be negatively related to procrastination. Participants (101 female, 38 male) completed the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status-revised, the Procrastination Assessment Scale – Students, and the General Procrastination Scale. Diffusion ( r = .22) and Moratorium ( r = .30) status scores showed significant positive correlations with an aggregate measure of procrastination, Achievement status scores ( r = −.34) yielded a negative correlation, and Foreclosure status scores showed no significant correlation. A regression of the four identity status scores on procrastination while controlling for gender was significant ( R 2 = .19, F (5, 133) = 6.09, p < .001) with Moratorium and Achievement scores accounting for the variance in the aggregate procrastination measure. These findings support both our hypothesis of a negative relation of identity status to procrastination and the theoretical link between agency and procrastination. The opposite relation of Moratorium and Achievement to procrastination is explained in terms of Erikson’s ego synthetic and executive functions and their link to the identity dimensions of exploration and commitment.