Counterfactual Thinking, Achievement Motivation, And Delay

Procrastination is very common in daily life, and especially prevalent in university students. Procrastination also appears to be a troubling problem; chronic procrastination leads to poor performance and has negative impact on individual's physical and mental health. Going an in-depth study to explore the motivation and related factors of procrastination, and bettering the existing theory is extremely important and necessary, moreover giving a theoretical basis for clinical Countermeasures.Previous studies seldomly involved cognitive components of procrastination, especially thinking. But, why chronic procrastinators do not learn from their past behaviors, and then they can improve their poor behavior? It is possible that the procrastination affected by counterfactual thinkingThis study measured counterfactual thinking one by one and used questionnaires mainly to investigate 234 students in the university. The study has explored the effect of counterfactual thinking on procrastination and the relationship of counterfactual thinking, achievement motivation and procrastination. The conclusions were as following:(1) Individuals used downward contrast counterfactuals and upward assimilation counterfactual feeled more relax, and students used downward assimilation and upward contrast counterfactuals feeled more anxiety.(2) Students used different counterfactual thinking had significant differences in procrastination. When individuals made contrast between real and factual conditions after the negative life events happened, individuals who used downward counterfactuals would have more procrastination than individuals who used upward counterfactuals. And when addicted in factual conditions, individuals who used upward counterfactuals would have more procrastination than individuals who used downward counterfactuals.(3) Achievement motivation mediated the relationship between counterfactual and procrastination. Counterfactual thinking had indirect influence on procrastination through achievement motivation.