Self‐Esteem, Self‐Handicapping, and Self‐Presentation: The Strategy of Inadequate Practice

ABSTRACT In two experiments we investigated the causes of low preparatory effort (minimal practicing for an upcoming event that is to be evaluated), a possible form of self-handicapping Experiment 1 found that people with high self-esteem practiced less than people with low self-esteem, although a prior experience of success eliminated this difference Experiment 2 showed that people with high self-esteem practiced less only when the practice duration was publicly known, indicating that they were using a strategic self-presentational ploy rather man responding to superior confidence This difference may reflect a desire to maximize the self-presentation of high ability by appearing to succeed despite minimal preparatory effort These results suggest that this form of self-handicapping is a strategy used by highly confident individuals in uncertain situations to make a favorable impression on others

[1]  R. Baumeister,et al.  Self-Presentational Motivations and Personality Differences in Self-Esteem , 1989 .

[2]  R. Baumeister,et al.  Self-defeating behavior patterns among normal individuals: review and analysis of common self-destructive tendencies. , 1988, Psychological bulletin.

[3]  M. Banaji,et al.  Is Self-Esteem a Central Ingredient of the Self-Concept? , 1988, Personality & social psychology bulletin.

[4]  M. Handelsman,et al.  Social Basis of Self-Handicapping , 1987 .

[5]  Steven C. Predmore,et al.  The cognitive-affective crossfire: when self-consistency confronts self-enhancement. , 1987, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[6]  M. Leary,et al.  Behavioral self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note. , 1986 .

[7]  C. R. Snyder,et al.  Enhancing the prediction of self-handicapping. , 1986, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[8]  C. R. Snyder,et al.  The role of uncertain self-esteem in self-handicapping. , 1986, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[9]  Roy F. Baumeister,et al.  Self-esteem and responses to success and failure: Subsequent performance and intrinsic motivation , 1985 .

[10]  C. R. Snyder,et al.  Adler's psychology (of use) today: personal history of traumatic life events as a self-handicapping strategy. , 1985, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[11]  F. Rhodewalt,et al.  Self-handicapping among competitive athletes: The role of practice in self-esteem protection. , 1984 .

[12]  R. Baumeister.  Choking under pressure: self-consciousness and paradoxical effects of incentives on skillful performance. , 1984, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[13]  J. Fleming,et al.  The dimensionality of self-esteem. II: Hierarchical facet model for revised measurement scales , 1984 .

[14]  J. Greenberg,et al.  Determinants of reduction in intended effort as a strategy for coping with anticipated failure , 1983 .

[15]  S. West.  Personality and prediction: An introduction. , 1983, Journal of personality.

[16]  C. R. Snyder,et al.  The self-serving function of hypochondriacal complaints: physical symptoms as self-handicapping strategies. , 1983, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[17]  L. Alloy.  The role of perceptions and attributions for response-outcome noncontingency in learned helplessness: a commentary and discussion. , 1982, Journal of personality.

[18]  R. Arkin,et al.  An impression management interpretation of the self-handicapping strategy. , 1982 .

[19]  Roy F. Baumeister,et al.  Self‐esteem, self‐presentation, and future Interaction: A dilemma of reputation , 1982 .

[20]  E. Fodor,et al.  The power motive as an influence on group decision making. , 1982 .

[21]  R. Vuchinich,et al.  Alcohol Consumption as a Self-handicapping Strategy , 2022 .

[22]  Jim Blascovich,et al.  Effects of self-esteem and performance feedback on future affective preferences and cognitive expectations. , 1981 .

[23]  P. Lewinsohn,et al.  The functional relation between depression and problematic interpersonal behavior. , 1980, Journal of abnormal psychology.

[24]  L. Abramson,et al.  Judgment of contingency in depressed and nondepressed students: sadder but wiser? , 1979, Journal of experimental psychology. General.

[25]  M. L. Snyder,et al.  Poor performance following unsolvable problems: Learned helplessness or egotism? , 1978 .

[26]  E. E. Jones,et al.  Control of Attributions about the Self Through Self-handicapping Strategies: The Appeal of Alcohol and the Role of Underachievement , 1978 .

[27]  E. E. Jones,et al.  DRUG CHOICE AS A SELF-HANDICAPPING STRATEGY IN RESPONSE TO NONCONTINGENT SUCCESS , 1978 .

[28]  R. Shavelson,et al.  Self-Concept: Validation of Construct Interpretations , 1976 .

[29]  J. S. Shrauger,et al.  Responses to evaluation as a function of initial self-perceptions. , 1975, Psychological bulletin.

[30]  S. Jones,et al.  Self- and interpersonal evaluations: esteem theories versus consistency theories. , 1973, Psychological bulletin.

[31]  Rainer Martens,et al.  Evaluation potential as a determinant of coaction effects , 1972 .

[32]  H. Garland,et al.  The effects of incompetency, audience acquaintanceship, and anticipated evaluative feedback on face-saving behavior. , 1971 .

[33]  B. Brown,et al.  The effects of need to maintain face on interpersonal bargaining. , 1968 .