Investigation of university students' procrastination behaviour in terms of life styles, intrinsic motivation levels and demographic characteristics in the pandemic period

The aim of this study is to investigate whether university students' procrastination behaviour in the Covid-19 pandemic period differ according to life styles, intrinsic motivation levels, gender, faculty, class level, and parents' education level. The study is based on a descriptive survey model. The study group of the research consists of a total of 400 university students, 261 female and 139 male, studying at Gazi University in the 2020-2021 academic year. In this study, "Personal Information Form", "Academic Procrastination Behaviour Scale", "Life Styles Inventory" and "Academic Motivation Scale" were used. Mean, standard deviation and correlations of the data's obtained from the Academic Procrastination Behaviour Scale, the Life Styles Inventory and intrinsic motivation sub-dimension of the Academic Motivation Scale were calculated. In this study, Linear Regression analysis, Pearson Correlation analysis, t test in paired groups and One-Way analysis of variance in more than two groups were used. As a result of the study, it was determined that life styles explain procrastination behaviour by 17% and have a significant effect. It was determined that the sub-dimensions of perfection and self-esteem belonging to life styles have a significant effect on procrastination behaviour; perfection lifestyle negatively affects/reduces procrastination behaviour, and self-esteem lifestyle positively affects / increases procrastination behaviour. It was determined that intrinsic motivation level explains procrastination behaviour by 8%, negatively affects/reduces it and has a significant effect. Besides, result of the correlation analysis applied, procrastination behaviour was not correlated with life styles, while a negative, low and significant relationship was found between procrastination behaviour and intrinsic motivation; a positive, moderate and significant relationship was found between life styles and intrinsic motivation. It was determined that the procrastination levels of male university students intended the perceived quality of the academic task were higher than that of female students. It was determined that the procrastination behaviour of university students differed significantly according to the faculty variable. The highest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the engineering faculty group, while the lowest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the science-literature faculty group. It was determined that the procrastination behaviour of university students differed significantly according to the class level variable. The highest level of procrastination behaviour is fourth class-group while the lowest level of procrastination behaviour is observed in the postgraduate group. Lastly, it was determined that the procrastination behaviour of university students differed significantly according to educational levels of the mother and father. According to the mother educational level, the highest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the postgraduate, while the lowest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the illiterate group. According to the father educational level, the highest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the postgraduate, while the lowest level of procrastination behaviour was observed in the primary group.