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This article talks about research published in Psychological Science that suggests that Procrastination and impulsivity are genetically linked. The research question that Daniel Gustavson of the University of Colorado Boulder wanted to explore is why some people procrastinate more than others and why they seem more likely to take rash actions.
The study took 181 identical-twin pairs and 166 fraternal-twin pairs and made them complete several surveys which gauged their tendencies of procrastination and impulsive behaviors. They found that procrastination and impulsivity are not only both heritable but they also complete overlap genetically. This suggests that procrastination is an evolutionary by product of impulsivity.
Gustavson hopes that studying more of this relationship and the mechanics behind it may lead to interventions to prevent such behavior.
I find this type of research, that overlaps genetics and psychology to be very interesting. It seems that recently, the scientific community has been exploring the evidence that suggests that psychological conditions are passed between generations. This article and one of the articles I discussed before on trauma in mice both support this notion. It is interesting to think the ramifications of this evidence. It begs the question, are we really in control of our emotions and states of mind or are they just a product of evolution and genetics? If we are not in control of emotions and their actions caused by them and they are already "preset" (and likely triggered by the environment around us), the research to learn the underpinnings of emotional actions like impulsivity and procrastination become of utmost interest.
Related Article on Genetic Influence on Human Psychological Traits: http://stormchan.org/study/src/1347441918244.pdf
I like your point about if we're really in control of our emotions or if they're really just a product of genetics. We've actually been talking about that question in another class of mine, and one of the books we're talking about argues that emotions are nothing more than environmental responses we use to protect ourselves (ex. something that makes us sad should be avoided, because sadness lowers our mental health and lowers immune responses). If procrastination is also genetic, it could also fit the model of being an evolutionary hindrance, since procrastination would put off doing tasks that helped our ancestors survive.
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