Self-handicapping was first defined in 1978 by Steven Berglas and Edward Jones as “any action or choice of performance setting that enhances the opportunity to externalize (or excuse) failure and to internalize (reasonably accept credit for) success.”
Self-handicapping
Self-handicapping is described as an action or choice which prevents a person from being responsible for failure (Kolditz & Arkin, 1982).
People want to be able to accept credit for any success, but have an excuse for any failure. From these definitions we can see that the strategy of self-handicapping is used to set the stage so that the person has ready excuses for failures. Having set it up, if a failure occurs it is attributed to the handicap instead of the lack of character or ability on the part of the individual (Smith, Snyder, & Perkins, 1983). At the same time, if someone the same person does succeed despite the impediment then they can attribute the success to their abilities. As we can see, self-handicapping behaviors are designed so that there is a win-win situation and the perpetrator gets credit whether there is success or failure (Hirt, Deppe, & Gordon, 1991).
There are many behaviors that may be used to serve as self-handicaps and include such things as alcohol or drug abuse, physical or psychological symptoms, constraints on practice effort, and so on. A specific example of the use of self-handicaps is a student who chooses to go out partying and drinking the night before a big exam. Leary and Shepperd (1986) argue that self-handicapping strategies should be separated into self-reported handicaps and behavioral self-handicapping. Self-reported handicaps are verbal claims publicised to generate awareness that one has impediments which will interfere with performance. Behavioral handicaps are acts of sabotaging one’s own performance, not just talking about impediments. Hirt and colleagues (1991) suggest that most self-handicappers prefer self-reported handicaps to behavioral self-handicapping. This is attributed to two theories about self-handicapping: behavioral self-handicapping exposes the individual to real risk and in addition makes failure more likely. On the other hand, self-reported handicaps neither involve actual risk nor increase the possibility of failure.
Interestingly, self-handicapping and procrastination are closely related but are actually not the same thing. Research by Wendelien van Eerde's indicte a 0.46 between the two. There is reported to be recent research by Clarry Lay, Steven Knish and Rita Zanatta that establishes the fact that they are not the same but I could not access the research papers to corroborate the claim. Anyhow my topic is not procrastination per se but self-handicapping.
No matter how many times we fool ourselves with this we can't fool God even once. No matter which of those approaches that we take to self-handicapping our Christian potential, it is not in our long term interest. Making excuses for our lack of effort to succeed in life is contrary to Gods way of Ecclesiastes 9:10 [KJV], Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest
. making bad decisions that act as obstacles to our success will not obscure Gods understanding of our true selves. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do
, Hebrews 4:12-13 [KJV]. Furthermore we will be judged by the word of God and He says that what is contained in it will provide the distinguishing information. It makes sense for us to know what is there.
Being able to say "all things considered" or "I had no idea all of that was required" or "you know that I lack..." may be true but may also be preventable or possible to circumvent. This is self-reported handicapping and it is claiming that the world is rigged against me alone. It is a lie. The world is just what it is and we are all competing for success. We all have varying forms of handicaps and we all have to come to terms with the fact that our situation is not unique. We alone do not deserve better, everyone does. As I see it the solution is to get on with making myself better, or doing the best that I can for the benefit of everyone and not to impress everyone.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me, Philippians 4:13 [KJV]. It means that success does not depend solely on genes but is highly influenced by character hence we are promised that
... a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief, Proverbs 24:16 [KJV].
Self-handicapping does not change the reality of our failure. Self-handicapping is about impression management. It is about our ego. If we fail because we somehow cause it we still fail. If we spread misinformation about our ability we still fail and God is not impressed, Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight
, Proverbs 12:22 [KJV]. We need to spend the time doing what Ecclesiastes says, i.e. the best that we can to succeed. We must also remember that James said, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up
James 4:10 [KJV].
I Samuel 2:8 [KJV] He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
Psalms 75:7 [KJV] But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
Daniel 2:21 [KJV] And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
The spiritual issue
For me the real issue is our tendency to avoid taking responsibility for our failures while simultaneously avoiding giving God credit for our success. How is it that we can recognise all of the real obstacles to our success when we are facing failure but disregard the unseen hand of God when we are doing well.
James 4:13-15 KJV Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
The root of our behaviour is in Adam and Eve. God was not impressed then and He is not going to be impressed now. Adam and Eve did not self-handicap but they were on their way to mastering impression management. They sewed fig leaves to conceal their shame before the verdict was given and they tried to make it clear that someone else was to blame. Just like them we become more concerned about the impression that we project than actual success.
Life is hard and Christians are told that up front. Our job is to endure and somehow overcome in spite of it, not to become petrified by the perception that people will have if we fail.
We all have real handicaps and some are severe. Nobody deserves to be born with a handicap but everybody has some form of handicap. It can cause suffering and God could remove it but then how would we suffer for things that are not our fault? How would we overcome is there is nothing to overcome? The time that we spend doing impression management could be spent doing some thing to aid our success.
On the other hand manufacturing handicaps to conceal our lack of character is escapism. It relieves us of the very thing that would motivate us to strive to do better, our guilt and disappointment. We need to face our failures with character and strive to overcome them because that is where the true handicap lies.
Life is too short to be participating in things that have no value to us. If we chose to participate and we have a genuine handicap then we need to do all we can to mitigate it, including asking for help. Falling prey to the same handicap repeatedly is an indication of self handicapping but it may not be so. Everybody at the pool of Bethsaida had a handicap.
John 5:2-8 KJV Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Most people are striving for something because of some handicap that they have in life. It may be financial, physical, emotional or whatever. If the actual goal is what is paramount then we don't have time to waste on impression management. Every second is important to reaching it first.
Acknowledgements
Article in Ceskoslovenská psychologie · April 2018THE THEORY OF SELF-HANDICAPPING: FORMS, INFLUENCING FACTORS AND MEASUREMENTLILLA TÖRÖK 1,2 , ZSOLT PÉTER SZABÓ 2,3
1 University of Physical Education, Department of Psychology and Sport Psychology, Budapest
2 University of Pécs, Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Pécs
3 Eötvös Lóránd University, Department of Social Psychology, Budapest
my next reference has since been deleted citing "01:24, 13 November 2016 Doug deleted (content was: "Self-handicapping is described as an action or choice which prevents a person from being responsible for failure (Kolditz & Arkin, 1982). Berglas and Jones (1978) describe this strategy as making choices or acting in ways which make it p...")"