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A Motivational Analysis of Defensive Pessimism and Self‐Handicapping
Author(s) -
Elliot Andrew J.,
Church Marcy A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6494.7103005
Subject(s) - pessimism , psychology , cognition , social psychology , developmental psychology , epistemology , philosophy , neuroscience
Two studies examined motivational influences on and correlates of defensive pessimism and self‐handicapping and investigated the relationship between these two cognitive strategies and performance attainment. The findings indicated that defensive pessimism and self‐handicapping have similar motivational profiles, with the primary difference being that self‐handicapping represents the absence of approach motivation in the achievement domain, as well as the presence of avoidance motivation. Self‐handicapping, but not defensive pessimism, was shown to undermine performance‐attainment, and performance‐avoidance goals were validated as mediators of this negative relationship. Issues regarding the functional nature of the two cognitive strategies are discussed.