The author, a psychology professor, contends that 'laziness' is not a valid explanation for procrastination or incomplete work. Instead, they emphasize the significance of situational factors and unmet needs in influencing behavior.
The author cites psychological research indicating that situational constraints are more reliable predictors of behavior than individual traits like personality or intelligence. They suggest focusing on contextual factors rather than internal attributes when assessing a person's actions.
The author provides anecdotal evidence from their experience teaching, describing students who consistently missed assignments or deadlines. These examples are presented as cases where situational factors are likely at play, rather than inherent laziness.
The author concludes by advocating for a shift in perspective, urging an examination of the circumstances and unmet needs that might contribute to unproductive behavior, rather than resorting to simplistic explanations like laziness.
I’ve been a psychology professor since 2012. In the past six years, I’ve witnessed students of all ages procrastinate on papers, skip presentation days, miss assignments, and let due dates fly by. I’ve seen promising prospective grad students fail to get applications in on time; I’ve watched PhD candidates take months or years revising a single dissertation draft; I once had a student who enrolled in the same class of mine two semesters in a row, and never turned in anything either time.
I don’t think laziness was ever at fault.
Ever.
In fact, I don’t believe that laziness exists.
I’m a social psychologist, so I’m interested primarily in the situational and contextual factors that drive human behavior. When you’re seeking to predict or explain a person’s actions, looking at the social norms, and the person’s context, is usually a pretty safe bet. Situational constraints typically predict behavior far better than personality, intelligence, or other individual-level traits.
So when I see a student failing to complete assignments, missing deadlines, or not delivering results in other aspects of their life, I’m moved to ask: what are the situational factors holding this student back? What needs are…
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