#Behaviouralscience

A fresh set of experiments suggests the urge to finish sub‑tasks immediately — known as precrastination — is real but fragile: people will grab and complete a near task even when it means extra effort, but only while that extra cost stays small. The new paper replicated the original “bucket” finding and then showed that increasing physical effort and travel distance progressively eliminates the effect, while a standard measure of impulsivity did not predict who precrastinates. The work sharpens our understanding of why people sometimes hurry to “tick off” small chores, with implications for decision making, workplace design and mental health in Thailand and beyond (BPS Research Digest summary).

Thai office workers and university students often exhibit a puzzling behavior that contradicts logical efficiency: they grab nearby tasks and complete them immediately even when this choice requires more physical effort and time than waiting for better opportunities. New psychological research has finally quantified this phenomenon called “precrastination”—the tendency to finish subtasks prematurely—revealing it represents a genuine cognitive bias that emerges only when extra effort remains minimal. The findings carry significant implications for Thai workplaces, educational institutions, and mental health services where cultural values emphasizing prompt task completion may inadvertently increase physical and psychological strain.

Thai office workers and university students often grab nearby tasks and finish them immediately, even when it costs more time and effort. New psychological research explains this behavior, known as precrastination—the urge to complete subtasks early. For Thai workplaces, schools, and mental health services, understanding this bias matters, especially where cultural norms prize prompt action.

The study traces precrastination to a genuine cognitive bias that appears when the effort required remains low. This aligns with Thai cultural values that emphasize diligence and responsibility, yet also highlights the potential for unnecessary physical and mental strain in fast-paced environments.