Friday, September 30, 2011

Psychological Procrastination? Or Physiological Procrastination?

What subject could ever be more appropriate than "Procrastination" for the way I have (or more honest to say:"have not") given attention to my blog? But wait a minute before you roll your eyes and click that 'X' up there in the corner! I will use "Justification"(just a big word for an excuse)and try to convince everyone that it's my "Prefrontal Cortex" who is the "Procrastinater". I'll explain later on in this post, when I get to the Physiological subject.

But first I will give my opinion of the theoretical "Psychological causes of procrastination" that could be a fun subject to debate. Some of the things that I have read talk about issues of anxiety, low sense of self-worth, and a self-defeating mentality. Even "Neuroticism" is mentioned in some articles, but I don't see any connection to any of those issues. I think it's a normal human function to procrastinate from time to time without causing any real problems....But when it becomes a destructive force that causes problems that will eventually produce the symptoms of anxiety,low sense of self and so on...That's where I believe the "Physiological Procrastination" needs to be considered.

The area of the brain that is responsible for executive brain functions such as planning, impulse control, attention, and acts as a filter by decreasing distracting stimuli from other brain regions is....BINGO! The Prefrontal Cortex! It's not a theory that damage or low activation in this area can reduce an individual's ability to filter out distracting stimuli, ultimately resulting in poorer organization, a loss of attention and increased procrastination. This is similar to the prefrontal lobe's role in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, where underactivation is common....and...That's a Fact! So as I promised in my last blog post,I gave my interpretation of some of the things I read about. Even though I did procrastinate. :)

2 comments:

  1. I SO agree with you, Scott!

    How many books have been written on procrastination that never mention physiology? It's mind-boggling.

    I actually sat in an airport shuttle van one time with three cognitive-scientist-type researchers on procrastination. Good grief...the theories! Very complex! And none of them involving the PFC and all the rest. Amazing.

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  2. Gina, Oh yes the "The Theories" are just that..>Theories<. The irony of it all is I can whip out a stack of M.R.I.'s and show, even pinpoint certain areas of my own brain that I believe have affected a number of things, from Psychical----cognition.

    We have to look at all the gray areas of the information we have in order to weed out the garden. So many so called "Psychology Experts"(parasites) make statements that they want us think are "Absolutes" when it comes to the brain and human behaviour. Yes it is "Amazing" that they don't study,learn and look at the scientific facts that even an Ole'Country Boy can learn.

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