‘Self-Handicapping’: An Excuse for Preparing for Failure

Have you ever experienced moments when you felt you were sabotaging yourself? If your answer is yes, I would ask you to try to recall when you first experienced this. Self-sabotage is defined in psychology as ‘self-handicapping’. The term ‘self-handicapping’ describes the situation in which individuals undermine their own success by imposing limitations on themselves during critical moments of performance.

The concept of self-handicapping appeared in 1978 following an empirical study by Jones and Berglas, and, based on Kelley’s equality model (Kelley, 1971), it proposed that self-handicapping simultaneously draws on both the reductionist principle (in the event of failure, obstacles diminish one’s abilities) and the enhancement principle (success achieved despite obstacles enhances the individual’s skills). There are two distinct forms of self-handicapping: behavioural self-handicapping, which involves clear actions taken before performing a task, and self-handicapping based on self-explanations, which involves verbal statements about barrier factors. To provide examples of both forms, reducing one’s effort to study for an exam is an example of behavioural self-handicapping, while complaining about mental or physical problems is an example of self-handicapping based on self-explanations.

Although it may seem surprising that people sabotage themselves, from a psychological perspective, this behaviour does not always stem from a desire to fail. Individuals who sabotage themselves are not lazy, unsuccessful, or cowardly; on the contrary, they may behave in this way to protect their self-esteem. At the root of this behaviour may lie the need to maintain a positive self-image. Particularly for individuals who associate success with intelligence, test scores, or talent, failure is not merely a failure to achieve a goal or a mistake that can be corrected. When a student who did not study for an exam receives a low grade, they may attribute this not to a lack of intelligence but to a lack of time to study. This allows them to maintain their self-belief, even though they have suffered academically. However, while this self-sabotaging behaviour may protect a person’s self-image in the short term, it can harm their self-esteem in the long term. If a person ties their self-worth too closely to their academic success or to the judgments of others, the experience of failure poses a clear threat to their self-concept. In the face of this threat, self-handicapping can become a defence strategy the person employs. However, it is not correct to say that self-handicapping behaviour necessarily results from low self-esteem. Even individuals with high self-esteem may also engage in self-handicapping to protect their self-concept.

How Does an Attempt at Self-Protection Turn into an Obstacle?

The psychological relief an individual experiences in the short term may play a significant role in the persistence of self-handicapping behaviour. When a person attributes their failure to an external obstacle rather than their own ability, they can reduce the threat to their self-concept. However, this relief does not mean the problem has been solved. For example, when a student who has not studied enough for an exam fails the course, they attribute their failure to a lack of preparation and avoid questioning their own academic competence. However, when similar behaviour is repeated, the student may not only miss out on learning opportunities but also struggle to realize their true potential. As a result, a strategy employed to protect one’s self-concept can, over time, become an obstacle to development.

This situation can create a vicious cycle. A person anxious about the possibility of failure reduces their effort or creates obstacles that could affect their performance in order to protect themselves from a potential negative evaluation. After experiencing failure, they attribute the outcome to these obstacles and feel a temporary sense of relief. This relief can make it easier to resort to the same strategy again in similar situations. Thus, while trying to cope with the fear of failure, the person may also perpetuate the very conditions that fuel that fear. Moreover, failing to see the success they could have achieved due to not putting in enough effort can, over time, make it harder for them to form a more realistic assessment of their own abilities.

So, is it possible to break this cycle? The first step is to separate failure from the person’s overall worth. Receiving a low grade on an exam does not prove that the person is inadequate or a failure; it merely indicates that the expected outcome was not achieved at a specific time and under specific conditions. Making this distinction can help the person view their mistakes not as a threat to their self-worth but as opportunities for growth. Additionally, focusing on the process rather than the outcome is crucial. Paying attention not only to the grade received but also to how well they prepared, which methods were effective, and what areas can be improved enables the person to develop a more constructive attitude in the face of failure.

However, reducing self-handicapping behaviour is not limited to simply giving oneself positive affirmations. The individual may also need to question their expectations regarding how they will be evaluated in the face of failure and the meaning they attach to success. In environments where making mistakes is not accepted or where success is believed to determine a person’s worth, self-handicapping may appear to be a more functional coping mechanism. Therefore, an environment where a person’s effort and the learning process are also valued can make it easier for them to cope with the fear of failure in a healthier way.

In conclusion, self-handicapping is not merely about a person standing in the way of their own success; it is also related to the meaning failure holds in terms of self-perception. An individual may sometimes avoid demonstrating their true potential to protect themselves from the possibility of failure. However, the obstacles they create to protect themselves can, over time, cause them to stray from the goals they wish to achieve. Perhaps true growth begins not so much with protecting ourselves from the negative effects of failure, but with having the courage to demonstrate our potential despite the possibility of failure.

Kaynakça

• Berglas, S., & Jones, E. E. (1978). Drug choice as a self-handicapping strategy in response to non-contingent success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 405–417.
• Kelley, H. H. (1971): Attribution in social interaction. New York: General Learning Press
• Leary, M. R., & Shepperd, J. A. (1986). Behavioural self-handicaps versus self-reported handicaps: A conceptual note. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1265–1268.
• Rhodewalt, F., Morf, C., Hazlett, S., & Fairfield, M. (1991). Self-handicapping: The role of discounting and augmentation in the preservation of self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(1), 122–131.
• Rhodewalt, F. (2008). Self-handicapping: On the self-perpetuating nature of defensive behaviour. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(3), 1255–1268.