Doing It When Others Do: a Strategic Model of Procrastination

C-Tier
Journal: Economic Inquiry
Year: 2021
Volume: 59
Issue: 1
Pages: 315-328

Score contribution per author:

1.009 = (α=2.02 / 1 authors) × 0.5x C-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper develops a strategic model of procrastination in which present‐biased agents prefer to perform an onerous task with someone else. This turns their decision of when to perform the task into a procrastination game—a dynamic coordination game between present‐biased players. The model characterizes the conditions under which interaction mitigates or exacerbates procrastination. A procrastinator matched with a worse procrastinator may perform her task earlier than she otherwise would: she wants to avoid the increased temptation that her peer's company would generate. Procrastinators can thus use bad company as a commitment device to mitigate their self‐control problem. (JEL C72, C73, D03, D91)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:ecinqu:v:59:y:2021:i:1:p:315-328
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25