The effects of performance goal orientation in relation to self-handicapping and defensive pessimism

• Main Author: De Leon, Joseph Benjamin L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Goal (Psychology); Performance; Pessimism; Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/2346
• Institution: De La Salle University

Previous studies have consistently found strong relationships between performance goals and relation to self-worth defensive strategies in a collectivistic setting. The aim of this study is to find out if those relationships are also applicable in the Philippines, known for having a collectivistic culture. In addition, this study also covers gender differences. It was hypothesized that performance-avoidance and performance-approach goals would positively relate with self-handicapping and defensive pessimism when a student encounters a possible failure. The participants were randomly selected from 181 first year college students of the College of Arts and Science of the University of the Philippines Manila. The results showed that the students possess more mastery goals than performance goals. Performance-approach is significant and positively correlated with self-handicapping, although found no significant relationship with defensive pessimism. Students with performance-avoidance goals showed a weak correlation and no significant relationship with both self-worth defensive strategies. There is a significant difference with males and females when it comes to performance-approach and self-handicapping, but did not show any significant difference with defensive pessimism.