The Neurobiology of Procrastination

Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life

Final Project

Cellular and Regional Parts

Limbic System- amygdala

- ventral tegmental area (VTA)

- nucleus accumbens (NAc)

Neocortex- prefrontal cortex

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Limbic System

The reward system controls human behavior by releasing chemicals with pleasurable effects,

primarily dopamine.

The amygdala plays a significant role in the initial emotional reaction to an event.

Neocortex

The prefrontal cortex controls logical, higher thinking and seems to be the origin of decision making, but often defers to the instinctive impulses of the limbic system.

Limbic System: Relation to Procrastination

In a situation where a deadline is not immediately approaching, the limbic system sees no immediate positive result, and avoids the situation in favor of an activity with an immediate positive result.

The amygdala’s initial emotional reaction may incite a (sometimes irrational) fear of failure for a task that would potentially be embarrassing or have other negative consequences.

Of course, there is the more rational neocortex, which logically assesses the situation and decides that you should do the work now. This is the side that knows that procrastination is detrimental, but it is much newer (hence the prefix “neo-”) and, therefore, less deeply ingrained. The limbic system often takes precedence.

Neocortex: Relation to Procrastination

Relation to This Course

The week closest in topic to this was Week 3b, which describes how information reaches the brain. Although Understanding the Brain was mostly about physical disorders such as sensory issues, paralysis, and memory loss, I picked up terminology and functions that I later researched more independently. It was mainly responsible for piquing an interest in areas I previously did not know existed.