Procrastination

and
Outcome Bias
Gracie Kenda, Karlie Nichols, Jaci Page,
and Usmaan Saifuddin
pollevlogin

How do you feel about

procrastination?
 What is Outcome Bias?
- “A cognitive bias where we place too much weight on the outcome and
aren’t critical enough of the process by which we reach the outcome”
- (Interaction Design Foundation, 2014)
- Type of confirmation bias
- Disregard complications of the process
- Process may be ineffective
- Result may be lucky
Relevancy to Honors Students
- Inherent risk of looking at overall grade rather than distinct areas
of performance
- Emphasis on high academic performance creates a stress mindset
that inhibits productivity
- Emphasis on results (GPA, test scores, grades) rather than
performance (student wellbeing, stress level, decision-making)
- All results in poor habits, including procrastination
- (Duriez, 2015)
Procrastination and Outcome Bias
Solutions
- Recognize the issue - Create a study schedule
- Recognition is the first step - Road map of what you need to
accomplish
- Identify root of the problem
- Breakdown large tasks
- Stress?
- Improved time management
- 6 types of procrastinators
- Study time and free time are
- American Psychological
kept separate
Association
- Increased productivity
- Perfectionist style
- (“How to…”, n.d.)
- Fear of judgement
- (Appleby, 2017)
Solutions
- Princeton’s 10 Tips to Stop - Overcoming Outcome Bias
Procrastinating
- Reflect on journey of
- Awareness completion, not just
- Assess result
- Outlook
- Consider all factors and
- Commit
context
- Surroundings
- Goals - Use reflection to shape
- Be realistic future decisions
- Self-talk
- (Robson, 2019)
- Unschedule
- Swiss Cheese it
- (The Trustees of Princeton
University, 2017)
How many have been
personally affected by
procrastination and
outcome bias?
 What is one strategy
you plan to use to
overcome this struggle?
 References
Appleby, D. C. (2017, January). The first step to overcoming procrastination: Know thyself. American Psychological
Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2017/01/overcoming-procrastination
Duriez, K. (2015, September 17). Grade Obsession and Why It's a Serious Problem. SIOWFA15: Science in our
world: Certainty and controversy.
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/17/grade-obsession-and-why-its-a-serious-problem/
Interaction Design Foundation. (2014). Outcome bias – not all outcomes are created equal. The Interaction Design
Foundation.
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/outcome-bias-not-all-outcomes-are-created-equal
Robson, D. (2019, October 2). The bias that can cause catastrophe. BBC Worklife.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191001-the-bias-behind-the-worlds-greatest-catastrophes
Slidesgo. (n.d.). Motivation and procrastination during exams workshop presentation.
https://slidesgo.com/theme/motivation-and-procrastination-during-exams-workshop#search-procrastination&a
mp;position-1&results-1
The Trustees of Princeton University. (2007). Understanding and overcoming procrastination. Princeton University.
https://mcgraw.princeton.edu/undergraduates/resources/resource-library/understanding-and-overcoming-procr
astination
Victoria University. (n.d.). How to make an effective study plan.
https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/study-space/how-to-make-an-effective-study-plan
 Word Cloud Result:
How do you feel about procrastination?