"I know you self-handicapped last exam": gender differences in reactions to self-handicapping.
Past research has shown that self-handicapping involves the trade-off of ability-related attributional benefits for interpersonal costs. Study 1 examined whether perceiver or target sex moderates impressions of self-handicapping targets. Although target sex was not an important factor, female perceivers were consistently more critical of behavioral self-handicappers. Two additional studies replicated this gender difference with variations of the handicap. Study 3 examined the motives inferred by perceivers and found that women not only view self-handicappers as more unmotivated but also report greater suspicion of self-handicapping motives; furthermore, these differences in perceived motives mediated sex differences in reactions to self-handicappers. Implications for the effectiveness of self-handicapping as an impression management strategy are discussed.
Hirt
Edward R
ER
Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Bloomington, 47405, USA. ehirt@indiana.edu
McCrea
Sean M
SM
Boris
Hillary I
HI
D001076:Aptitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors