Self-Handicapping
Creating or claiming an obstacle before a test so that a poor result can be blamed on it.
What it is
Berglas and Jones gave students apparently accidental success and then a choice of drugs before a retest; male participants preferred a drug said to impair performance, which could serve as an excuse for a later failure. McCrea and Hirt found that students who self-handicapped reported less effort and performed worse, yet kept positive beliefs about their ability in the domain.
In effect
In the article on why we self-sabotage, it is the classic research name for the pattern.
What it does not say
It describes a strategy that protects a belief in ability. It is not a diagnosis, and the studies do not say that everyone uses it.
Sources
- Berglas, S., & Jones, E. E. (1978). Drug choice as a self-handicapping strategy in response to noncontingent success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(4), 405-417.
- McCrea, S. M., & Hirt, E. R. (2001). The role of ability judgments in self-handicapping. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(10), 1378-1389.