Claiming Mood as a Self-Handicap

Abstract

The present study examined self-presentational claims of handicaps to future performance. Specifically, it was hypothesized that subjects would claim a handicap when others were unaware of a prior failing performance. Subjects initially completed a "social accuracy" test and received false feedback that they had failed. When led to believe that the experimenter was unaware of the previous failure, subjects were more likely to-claim mood as a handicap to an upcoming task than when they believed that the experimenter was aware of the failure. Results of the study are discussed in terms of a distinction between protective and acquisitive self-presentation and the role of public identity in self-handicapping behaviors.