Limitations on the Substitutability of Self-Protective Processes
Self-Handicapping Is Not Reduced by Related-Domain Self-Affirmations
Abstract
Goal-striving and achievement can be undermined when individuals have a competing desire to protect a cherished self-view. When individuals are more concerned with avoiding the negative implications of a likely failure than with self-improvement, they may ignore negative information or may even go so far as to purposefully undermine their own performance. For example, self-handicapping involves creating or claiming obstacles to success in order to protect self-esteem in the event of task failure. One method to reduce such destructive behavior is to address self-protection concerns through other means. Notably, affirming overall self-integrity by drawing attention to other positive aspects of the self has been previously shown to reduce subsequent self-handicapping behavior. The present studies demonstrate, however, that these effects may not be as broad as previously assumed. Specifically, only self-affirmations in domains unrelated to the current threat seem to be effective in reducing self-handicapping. Self-affirmations related to the threatened domain may only serve to create a standard of comparison for the current performance, maintaining or even intensifying the existing threat. Thus, it appears that attempts to protect a specific self-conception can severely hamper goal-striving and subsequent achievement. Implications for understanding the motivations underlying self-handicapping and for reducing this self-defeating behavior are discussed.
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