A study on Cognitive and behavioral coping for evaluative situations

1989 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 63510073
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Psychology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Woman's Christian University
• Principal Investigator: ANDO Kiyosi Tokyo Woman's Christian Univ. Associate Prof., 文理学部, 助教授 (50125978)
• Project Period (FY): 1988 – 1989
• Keywords: Attribution / Self-esteem

Research Abstract

This research project composed of three parts. First, a literature review was performed concerning the process of "self-handicapping."
Second, The research area which characterize an interface between social psychology and clinical psychology was reviewed. Third, the results of an experiment concerning "excuse" were reported.
The present experiment aimed at investigating how people "excuse" their failure. Fifty female undergraduates served as subjects. First, they were asked to undergo an anagram task. After finishing the task, they were given a feedback which show they have done it very poorly. Then they were required to fill out a questionnaire which aimed at measuring how they excuse the failure by "consistency-lowering", "consensus-raising", or "distinctiveness-raising."
It was found subjects tend to use these strategies, particularly "consensus raising."