Self-handicapping and defensive pessimism: A model of self-protection from a longitudinal perspective

Journal article

This research places self-handicapping and defensive pessimism (comprising defensive expectations and reflectivity) into a single conceptual and analytic framework that models the full self-protective process across time. Data on two occasions collected during students' (n = 328) first two years at university show: performance orientation positively predicts self-handicapping, defensive expectations, and reflectivity; task-orientation negatively predicts self-handicapping and defensive expectations and positively predicts reflectivity; uncertain personal control positively predicts defensive expectations and reflectivity; and an external attributional orientation positively predicts self-handicapping and defensive expectations. Although both self-handicapping and defensive expectations negatively affect academic outcomes, the negative effects of self-handicapping were more marked. In contrast to these counter-productive strategies, reflectivity had positive effects on academic engagement. © 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Authors: Martin, A; Marsh, H; Debus, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-36
• Publication date: 2003-01-01
• DOI: 10.1016/S0361-476X(02)00008-5
• ISSN: 0361-476X
• Language: English
• Keywords: motivation; self-handicapping; defensive pessimism; self-protection