Self-handicapping behavior exhibits a robust gender effect: Men but not women consistently choose behavior that they believe will impair their performance, even when that performance is important to them. Because previous research shows self-handicapping to occur when esteem is threatened, we propose that high status individuals will be more likely to self-handicap than will those of lower stat...

a r t i c l e i n f o Drawing on modern diathesis-stress theories which suggest a multiplicative approach to determine one's personal vulnerability status, we posit that the degree of an individual's vulnerability for using self-handicapping strategies in case of self-threatening events depends on the interaction between different vulnerability and protective factors. In this article, we assume...

Jones and Berglas (1978) coined the term self-handicapping to describe the a priori strategy of protecting selfesteem in the face of potential danger. According to their definition, “self-handicapping involves any action or choice of performance setting that enhances the opportunity to externalize (or excuse) failure and to internalize (reasonably accept credit for) success” (p. 406). When hand...

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediational role of self-confidence and anxiety in the relationship between self-esteem and claimed self-handicapping in an achievement context. Design: To test this mediational role, the three-step procedure advocated by Baron and Kenny (1986) was used. Method: After hearing and reading about specific conditions of performing that...

An unsuccessful search continues for a definition of learning disabilities. The effort is within a unidimensional framework without recognition of the lack of unidimensional characteristics in children. No other definition of any handicapping condition meets the rigid criteria that seems to permeate the illusory search. As with all other handicapping conditions, the working definition varies wi...

This paper addresses two problems which are common amongst university students, namely perfectionism and self-handicapping. Perfectionism deals with setting unreasonably high standards for one’s own performance, while self-handicapping behaviours provide a possible excuse for poor performance, for example putting tasks off until the last minute. Although they have the potential for many negativ...

The self-protective mechanism of self-handicapping appears to be motivated by the need to protect ability attributions in the face of concern about possible failure. Indeed, the present research finds a correlation between trait self-handicapping and chronic prevention focus. Moreover, the present research examines the role of ‘‘regulatory fit” on the use of claimed self-handicapping by exposin...