Behavioral Self-handicapping Research Articles

Why externalize failure? Social goals, engagement and self-handicapping in the concern of eastern cultural community

During this COVID-19 pandemic, the community, especially students, experienced anxiety due to the uncertainty that occurred. To cover it up, self-handicapping is the most common option. People in the eastern culture, such as Indonesia, prefer to achieve social achievement (SAch) goals than academic achievement (AAch) goals in motivation. This study aims to examine the model of the relationship between SAch goals with adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. This study used 904 respondents who filled out a questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability using confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency respectively. The respondents of this research were young business practitioners who were studying in college. The results of the correlation test confirm the results of previous research that SAch goals consist of three interrelated but independent dimensions, so that students can pursue these three goals. Academic engagement also has two correlated dimensions, while self-handicapping has two uncorrelated and even contradictory dimensions. The results of testing the relationship model using a two-stage structural equation modeling approach further strengthen that behavioral self-handicapping was maladaptive. Social development goals (SDevGs) produced adaptive outcomes, while social demonstration goals (SDemGs) produced maladaptive outcomes. Eastern culture prefers did not make mistakes than showed social competence by appearing popular and having many friends. Need a curriculum that includes activities that encourage the achievement of social goals and feel an attachment to academic activities but minimizes behavior that externalizes failure.

Emotion Regulation Mediates the Relationship between Perfectionism and Self-handicapping among Dancers

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of emotion regulation in the relationship between perfectionism and self-handicapping. After 503 college dancers (414 females, 89 males) completed the battery of questionnaires, the data were analyzed for descriptive statistics and analyzed by frequency analysis, correlation analysis. The bootstrapping method was used to verify the statistical significance of the indirect effect. The results showed that the reappraisal of emotion-regulation significantly mediated the relationship between self-oriented perfectionism and behavioral self-handicapping. Also determined that the suppression of emotion regulation significantly mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and claimed self-handicapping. This study demonstrates that perfectionism and self-handicapping will have a different relationship depending on dancers’ types of emotion regulation. These findings provide valuable information on the psychological coping strategies used to control the negative emotion that are related to perfectionism among dancers.

Promoting agrowth mindset decreases behavioral self-handicapping among students who are on the fixed side of the mindset continuum.

The present study examined the interplay between chronic intelligence beliefs, manipulated intelligence beliefs and self-handicapping processes. Prior studies showed that holding more of a fixed intelligence theory makes one vulnerable to resorting to self-protective mechanisms such as self-handicapping, while growth intelligence mindset can serve as a protective factor for self-handicapping. However, no prior studies have examined the potential interaction between pre-experimental intelligence beliefs, the manipulation of intelligence mindsets and behavioral self-handicapping. Although in our student sample (N = 101) there was no main effect of the mindset manipulations, participants with more of an initial fixed mindset benefited a lot from a brief growth mindset manipulation and displayed the lowest levels of behavioral self-handicapping. The mindset manipulation had less effect on self-handicapping of originally more of a growth-mindset individuals. These laboratory results demonstrate the benefits of growth mindset triggers which can be especially beneficial to reduce self-handicapping of young adults with more of a fixed mindset in educational settings.

Relationship of Achievement Goals, Engagement, and Self-Handicapping: Test The Mediating Model

This study examined the model of the relationship between achievement goals, engagement, and Self-handicapping (SH). The study was conducted with 850 students who filled out a self-report questionnaire as respondents. After the measuring instrument was declared valid and reliable, the two relationship models were tested using a structural equation modeling (SEM) with a two-step approach. The test results suggested that the objectives of mastery of the material and improvement of skills must be achieved for increasing student engagement and preventing SH in learning activities. Students who are afraid of appearing incapable did behavioral SH and reduced their attachment to learning activities. The goal of showing off achievements and excelling from their peers did not make students use SH strategies but only emotionally engaged. Claimed Self-handicapping (CSH) increased engagement and vice versa, while behavioral Self-handicapping (BSH) decreased engagement and vice versa.

Influences of stereotype threat on the mathematics performance of high school athletes

The negative effects of stereotype threat on one’s behavior and performance have been proved in stereotype research that adopted experimental manipulation. Focusing on the academic performance of student athletes, this research mainly examined the stereotype effects triggered by positive and negative impressions on high school athletes’ mathematics performance, and the mediating role of self-handicapping between stereotypes and one’s performance. A total of 197 high school student athletes (M = 16.55 years, SD = 0.56) who consistently joined competitive athletics training and competitions above the interschool level were collected, positive and negative conditions were simulated by the reading of short texts, and instructions were given to categorize mathematics tests as difficult or easy (the tests’ content being in fact identical). Four conditions were distinguished, namely positive-easy (PE), negative-easy (NE), positive-difficult (PD), and negative-difficult (ND) conditions. A mathematics test comprising 12 questions was used as academic performance indicator. The accuracy of the answers and the participants’ attempts to answer were calculated. The research results indicate that, in terms of accuracy, the interaction between stereotypes and difficulty level was nonsignificant, but the mathematical accuracy of the students who received positive conditions was significantly better than that of those who received negative conditions. In terms of the number of questions answered, the interaction between stereotypes and difficulty level was significant. The participants in the ND condition performed the worst in terms of the number of questions answered. In addition, the latter partially mediated between stereotype and mathematical accuracy. The research results confirm that student athletes are indeed affected by stereotype threat and might resort to behavioral self-handicapping by making less effort, which further affects their performance.

The Effect of Early Maladaptive Schemas on Self-Handicapping: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem Instability

The aim of the present study, was to test a conceptual model of the mediating role of self-esteem instability on the relationship between early maladaptive schemas, and self-handicapping components. This research was carried out in the framework of a correlational design. The participants were Three hundred and nine female students from University of Mazandaran who were selected by multi-stage clustered sampling. The participants completed the demographic form, The Self-Handicapping Scale, The Instability of Self-Esteem Scale, and The Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire–Short Form. Using maximum-likelihood estimation and bootstrap procedure, results from path analysis showed that the proposed model fitted the data well, and unrelenting standards/hyper criticalness, failure, and defectiveness/shame schemas through the mediating role of instability of self-esteem, had positive and significant effect on claimed and behavioral self-handicapping. According to the findings of the present study, it could be concluded that unrelenting standards/hyper criticalness, failure, and defectiveness/shame schemas can predict self-handicapping. Meanwhile, instability of self-esteem as a personal factor could clarify the mechanism of the effect of early maladaptive schemas on self-handicapping components. These results can be used to design counseling and therapeutic programs for students.

Sex differences in claimed and behavioral self-handicapping and ADHD symptomatology in emerging adults.

Although the research is clear that boys with ADHD have higher symptomatology and impairment than girls with ADHD, for adults the research is mixed. Some studies suggest no sex differences, whereas others suggest that women might have higher symptomatology and impairment. The present study examined sex differences in ADHD symptomatology and impairment, and the possible role of claimed and behavioral self-handicapping as an explanation for any differences. Claimed self-handicapping (CSH) involves reports of performance-inhibiting conditions, whereas behavioral self-handicapping (BSH) involves reporting more objective, intentional acts that could undermine performance. College students (N=699) completed an online study. Sex differences were found for hyperactivity such that women reported higher levels, but not for inattention or impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through CSH was significant, suggesting that higher levels of CSH in women were associated with elevated ADHD symptoms and impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through BSH was also significant, suggesting that higher levels of BSH in men are associated with elevated symptoms of ADHD and impairment. These data extend the literature by suggesting that self-handicapping might at least partially explain differential self-reporting of ADHD symptoms and impairment in emerging adults across the sexes.

Shame Proneness, Guilt Proneness, Behavioral Self-Handicapping, and Skill Level: A Mediational Analysis

In this study, the relationship between shame proneness, guilt proneness, behavioral self-handicapping, and skill level was examined in elite youth soccer players (N = 589, Mage = 16.8, SD = 1.8). Mediation analyses showed that shame proneness had a positive direct relationship with self-handicapping and a weak negative indirect relationship with skill level. Guilt proneness was shown to have a negative direct relationship to self-handicapping and a positive weak indirect relationship to skill level. Shame proneness may, thus, stimulate behavioral self-handicapping, whereas guilt proneness may discourage behavioral self-handicapping in soccer players.

Growth Motivation as a Moderator of Behavioral Self-Handicapping in Women

ABSTRACT Behavioral self-handicapping is a strategy used to protect attributions about ability. People behaviorally self-handicap by creating an obstacle to their success so failure is attributed to the obstacle instead of to their ability. Although past research has observed behavioral self-handicapping exclusively in men, the current research revealed a moderator of behavioral self-handicapping in women: growth motivation, which reflects the desire to develop one's abilities and learn from failure. Participants (N = 100) completed a test purportedly predictive of successful careers and relationships, and some were given failure feedback about their performance. Participants could behaviorally self-handicap by choosing to complete another test in a performance-impairing environment. Although men self-handicapped more overall, women self-handicapped more after failure when they were low in growth motivation. These results highlight a novel moderator of behavioral self-handicapping in women.

Personal, Interpersonal, and Situational Influences on Behavioral Self-Handicapping

ABSTRACT This study explored the combined effects of personal factors (participant sex), interpersonal factors (experimenter sex), and situational factors (performance feedback) on two forms of behavioral self-handicapping. Participants received non-contingent success or failure feedback concerning their performance on a novel ability and were given the opportunity to self-handicap before performing again. Behavioral self-handicapping took the form of (a) exerting less practice effort (practice) or (b) choosing a performance-debilitating tape (choice). Men practiced least after failure feedback and chose a debilitating tape if they were interacting with a female experimenter. Generally, across all participants in both choice and practice conditions, high performance concern and the presence of a male experimenter led to the most self-handicapping. Results are interpreted in terms of self-presentational concerns that emphasize a desire to impress or an awareness of the female or male experimenter's acceptance of self-handicappers.

Effects of Self-Handicapping Strategies on Anxiety before Athletic Performance

The purpose of the present experiment was to examine whether the use of selfhandicapping strategies influences participants’ anxiety levels before athletic performance. Seventy-one competitive basketball players participated in the study. A repeated measures design was used, such that state cognitive and somatic anxiety intensity and direction were measured before and after participants were given the opportunity to self-handicap. Overall, participants reported their cognitive anxiety to be more facilitating after they had the opportunity to self-handicap. Thus, participants who were given the opportunity to self-handicap (i.e., use claimed and behavioral self-handicaps), reported greater increases in perceptions of cognitive anxiety as facilitating their performance. This study shows the importance of looking at anxiety direction, and not just anxiety intensity, when examining self-handicapping’s effects on anxiety. Implications for sport psychologists are proposed.

The worker scale: Developing a measure to explain gender differences in behavioral self-handicapping

Research has consistently found that men engage in more behavioral self-handicapping than do women. We first review evidence suggesting that these gender differences result from women placing more importance on displaying effort than do men. We then present the results of two studies seeking to develop measures of beliefs about effort that might explain these gender differences in behavioral self-handicapping. Women, across a wide range of measures, placed more importance on effort than did men. However, only a new measure of more personalized effort beliefs, dubbed the Worker scale, uniquely explained gender differences in dispositional tendency to behaviorally self-handicap. The Worker scale also predicted academic performance, consistent with the notion that these effort beliefs would predict engagement in actual behavioral self-handicaps that undermine performance.

DETERMINANTS OF SELF-HANDICAPPING STRATEGIES IN SPORT AND THEIR EFFECTS ON ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study was to examine self-efficacy and self-esteem as predictors of claimed and behavioral self-handicapping, and to compare the relationship between behavioral and claimed self-handicaps and athletic performance. A total of 31 basketball players participated in the study. Claimed self-handicaps were significantly negatively correlated with selfesteem whereas behavioral self-handicapping was significantly negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Performance was negatively correlated with behavioral self-handicapping, but was not correlated with claimed self-handicapping. These findings reinforce the conceptual distinction between claimed and behavioral self-handicaps by demonstrating that the two strategies are indeed related to different factors and that they have different consequences for performance.

She works hard for the money: Valuing effort underlies gender differences in behavioral self-handicapping

Research in the area of self-handicapping has consistently demonstrated a robust yet puzzling gender difference in the use of and evaluation of behavioral self-handicaps; women (1) are less likely to use these forms of handicaps, particularly those involving the actual or reported reduction of effort, and (2) evaluate the use of these handicaps by others more negatively than do men. The present research examines several possible explanations for these consistent gender differences and finds that the personal value placed on effort is an important mediator of these effects.

Excuses, Excuses: Self-Handicapping in an Australian Adolescent Sample

The purpose of the present study was to examine gender differences in the self-handicapping tendencies of a sample of 337 Australian school attending adolescents, who were aged between 15 and 19 years. Self-handicapping, as measured by the shortened Self-Handicapping Scale, was examined in relation to self-esteem, performance attributions, coping strategies, and the potential behavioral self-handicaps of reduced study hours and inefficient study habits. Girls scored significantly higher on the Self-Handicapping Scale and endorsed using emotional and illness related excuses significantly more often than boys. High self-handicapping scores independently predicted lower study hours for boys, and were associated with less efficient study for girls. Coping and attributional predictors of self-handicapping were found to be rumination, luck attribution, and poor active coping strategies for boys, and ability attributions, behavioral disengagement, instrumental support, and poor active coping strategies for girls.

Public Self-Focus and Sex Differences in Behavioral Self-Handicapping: Does Increasing Self-Threat Still Make it “Just a Man’s Game?”

The present study examined the effects of public self-focus and participants’ sex on self-handicapping behavior. Research in the area of self-handicapping has consistently shown that men alone tend to self-handicap behaviorally. Because conditions of public self-focus tend to make the evaluative implications of per formance more salient, the authors hypothesized that people would self-handicap more when they are self-focused (as opposed to other-focused). Men and women were presented with an important intellectual evaluation and were allowed to practice for the upcoming test as much as they wanted. Results showed that men self-handicap more when they are self-focused but women do not behaviorally self-handicap under self-or other-focused conditions. Heightened concern over possible failure in self-focused conditions appeared to be the critical mediator in encouraging self-handicapping behavior among men.

セルフ・ハンディキャッピングと帰属スタイル : 行動指標を用いた実験

セルフ・ハンディキャッピングと帰属スタイル : 行動指標を用いた実験

Self-reported versus behavioral self-handicapping: Empirical evidence for a theoretical distinction.

The present study was an investigation of how Ss would respond when given 2 self-handicapping options, 1 behavioral (withdrawal of practice effort) and 1 self-reported (reporting high levels of stress). Ss anticipating a diagnostic test of intellectual ability were given different instructions regarding the effects of stress and practice on test performance. Ss were told that (a) stress only, (b) practice only, (c) both stress and practice, or (d) neither stress nor practice affected test scores. Ss were then given the opportunity to self-report a handicap on a stress inventory and to behaviorally self-handicap by failing to practice before the test. High self-handicapping men and women showed evidence of self-reported handicapping, but only high self-handicapping men behaviorally self-handicapped. However, when both self-handicaps were viable, both high self-handicapping men and women preferred the self-reported over the behavioral self-handicap.

Behavioral self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note.

Behavioral self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note.

Behavioral self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note.

Behavioral self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note.