Which of These Is an Example of a Self-Handicapping Strategy

question 168

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an example of a self-handicapping strategy?

• A)Setting a goal to win more tennis matches this season than last season
• B)Entering only tennis matches against opponents you expect to defeat
• C)Using a worn-out tennis racket in a match you expect to lose anyway
• D)Practicing harder than usual during the week before an important tennis match

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Definitions:

Defense Mechanism

Psychological strategies used by the unconscious mind to protect itself from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings.

Existentialism

The view that people are completely free and responsible for their own behavior.

Thematic Apperception Test

A psychological assessment tool that uses a series of provocative yet ambiguous images to elicit responses that reveal a person's underlying motivations, feelings, and attitudes toward complex life situations.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A psychological test in which a person's perceptions of inkblots are recorded and analyzed using psychological interpretation.