Using Self-Persuasion to Reduce Academic Self-Handicapping

Abstract

This experiment uses self-persuasion (based on cognitive dissonance theory) to reduce academic self-handicapping (ASH). There are two methods of ASH: behavioral and claimed. Behavioral self-handicapping describes self-sabotage in an academic setting as a result of behaviors detrimental to academic performance. Claimed self-handicapping describes being subject to a situation that could negatively affect academic performance. Both instances can result in externalization of academic failures and internalization of successes which perpetuates ASH and protects the self-esteem. The utilized method of self-persuasion is based off cognitive dissonance theory. When a participant is compelled to comply with a scenario that causes a disparity between attitudes and behaviors, the following attempt to resolve the disparity results in a behavioral change. In this experiment, each participant in the treatment group is told to lie to a confederate, telling them that they do not self-handicap when prompted by the confederate with the incentive of four dollars for their compliance. In order to resolve the inconsistency between what the participant practices and what they preach, a behavior change resulting in lowered measurements of ASH is hypothesized. A questionnaire measuring ASH will be administered before the dissonance and 2 – 3 weeks following the dissonance to measure the effect. The treatment group scores will be compared to a control condition.