The self-worth theory of motivation, adapted from the broader theory of achievement motivation, describes a student's tendency to protect their own sense of self-worth as the underlying motive behind avoiding failure and seeking success in school, a setting marked by frequent evaluation and comparison among peers. Because many students treat academic competence as central to self-esteem, they work to maximize that competence and avoid failure, an effort researchers describe as a double-edged sword, essential to success but also a source of feelings of worthlessness if a student fails despite it. To protect self-worth from that risk, some students instead adopt defensive strategies such as putting in less effort or setting deliberately low expectations for an upcoming evaluation, strategies known respectively as self-handicapping and defensive pessimism.
Facts
Core ClaimStudents are motivated above all to protect their sense of self-worth by avoiding the appearance of low ability, which can lead them to defensive strategies such as self-handicapping or defensive pessimism rather than simply trying to succeed. 1 FAQs
How do self-handicapping and defensive pessimism differ?
Self-handicapping creates an excuse for failure, while defensive pessimism lowers expectations in advance.
Both are defensive strategies that students use to protect their sense of self-worth when their ability is about to be evaluated, but they work in opposite ways. In self-handicapping a student deliberately places an obstacle in the way of success, such as procrastinating or cutting back effort, so that a poor result can be blamed on the obstacle and not on a lack of ability. It is mainly about avoiding failure, and the source links it to lower performance, academic dissatisfaction and reduced well-being, even though it protects self-esteem. In defensive pessimism a student deliberately thinks pessimistically about the coming task and sets low goals and low expectations, which makes the outcome feel safer and more satisfying. The source says this strategy does not itself harm the attainment of the task, though it can bring worry, lower life satisfaction and fatigue, and the habit of thinking through every possible outcome in advance can also push a student to prepare harder.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Self-Worth Theory of Motivation
Wikimedia FoundationSelf-worth theory of motivation, opening paragraph
The self-worth theory of motivation, which is adapted from the original theory of achievement motivation, describes an individual's tendency to protect their sense of self-worth as the motive of avoiding failure and hence approaching success.
In Group: Self-Belief, Attribution and Belonging, Lead
The self-worth theory of motivation, which is adapted from the original theory of achievement motivation, describes an individual's tendency to protect their sense of self-worth as the motive of avoiding failure and hence approaching success.
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