ÜBERMAD

Action

Do the task you've been avoiding

Exposure: deliberately start an avoided task while the discomfort is there.

A determined man in a striped jumper strides into the wind, hugging a big box to his chest, seen from below.

Studies (3)

  1. Paper

    One session on a dreaded study task cut students' putting things off
    TestedHelped

    One coached session spent working on a dreaded study task cut putting things off more than waiting did.

    Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs students still waiting for the session · they rated themselves

    UsedHelped

    Facing a dreaded task with a coach and a chatbot beat reading and practising alone, though by less.

    Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs the same ideas read and practised alone · they rated themselves

  2. Paper

    Getting paid the moment you finish helped people start a week-long task sooner
    UsedMixed

    People paid the moment they finished started a week-long task about half a day sooner, but most finished no sooner.

    Trial of 611 students, staff and alumni of a US university · vs the same payment the day after the deadline · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; unclear how groups were picked; summary claims more than the results show; many people dropped out

    UsedMixed

    Of those who finished, only people who often put things off finished sooner when paid right away.

    Trial of 611 students, staff and alumni of a US university · vs the same payment the day after the deadline · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; unclear how groups were picked; summary claims more than the results show; many people dropped out

  3. Paper

    Two kinds of mind training did not cut putting things off more than none
    TestedNo difference

    Nine sessions on coping with not knowing what comes next did not cut putting things off more than none.

    Small randomised trial of 45 final-year schoolgirls in Iran who put things off · vs students who got no training · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show

Often used with it