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A Quadripolar Need Achievement Representation of Self-Handicapping and Defensive Pessimism

University of Western Sydney, Australia

Raymond L. Debus

University of Sydney, Australia

From need achievement and self-worth motivation perspectives, self-handicapping and defensive pessimism (comprising defensive expectations and reflectivity) are integrated into a quadripolar model reflecting the motives to avoid failure and approach success. Consistent with hypotheses, defensive expectations and self-handicapping reflected failure avoidance (with self-handicapping bordering failure acceptance); reflectivity was marked by high failure avoidance and high success orientation; and, self-concept essentially reflected success orientation. This quadripolar model was consistent across students’ (n = 328) first and second years at university. Interpretation of these constructs in terms of failure avoidance and success orientation was validated through structural equation modeling in which self-handicapping, defensive pessimism, and self-concept differentially predicted a variety of academic outcomes.

American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 38, No. 3, 583-610 (2001)
DOI: 10.3102/00028312038003583


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