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The Role of Threat and Uncertainty in Self-Handicapping and Overachievement

Braslow, Matthew D.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1280425426

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Research on individuals who are unsure about their level of competence has revealed that self-doubt contributes to a concern for competence and a concern for appearing competent to others. Among the strategies that self-doubtful individuals might use to maintain an image of competence, the present research examines two in particular: self-handicapping and overachievement. Whereas self-handicapping involves creating obstacles to performance in order to provide a ready excuse for failure, overachievement involves exerting heroic amounts of effort in order to avoid failure or demonstrate success. Despite obvious differences between self-handicapping and overachievement, feelings of uncertainty about competence underlie both strategies. Previous research has targeted the motivational basis of self-handicapping and overachievement, but questions remain regarding why self-doubtful individuals adopt one strategy or the other and under what conditions these individuals will be compelled to employ such strategies. Four studies were conducted to explore conditions that predict self-handicapping overachievement. Specifically, the meaning of performance on a task and the difficulty of a task were expected to affect tendencies toward self-handicapping and overachievement. Results showed that self-doubtful individuals were more likely to self-handicap for a difficult task and overachieve for a less difficult one. However, self-handicapping and iioverachievement behavior only emerged when the meaning of task performance sufficiently threatened the image of competence. The findings support the notion that feelings of uncertainty and threat motivate the use of self-handicapping and overachievement, with specific situational cues dictating strategy choice.
Robert Arkin (Advisor)
Russell Fazio (Committee Member)
Lisa Libby (Committee Member)
62 p.
Social Psychology
Self-Handicapping; Overachievement; Self-Doubt

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Braslow, M. D. (2010). The Role of Threat and Uncertainty in Self-Handicapping and Overachievement [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1280425426

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Braslow, Matthew. The Role of Threat and Uncertainty in Self-Handicapping and Overachievement. 2010. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1280425426.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Braslow, Matthew. "The Role of Threat and Uncertainty in Self-Handicapping and Overachievement." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1280425426

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.