Self-Esteem, Self-Handicapping, and Social Desirability: A Mediational Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v24i12.7490Keywords:
higher education, self-esteem, self-handicapping, social desirability, self-deception, mediationAbstract
This research investigates the mediational role of social desirability in the relationship between self-esteem and self-handicap. The aim is to understand the impact of the two dimensions of social desirability on the tendency to self-handicap. Using Baron and Kenny’s (1986) four-step procedure, 180 freshmen in sports science at the University of the French Antilles completed online surveys on self-esteem, social desirability, and self-handicap. Quantitative analysis shows that the self-deception dimension of social desirability is a partial mediator of this relationship, consistent with the idea that excuses and self-handicapping behaviors are not aligned with social norms.
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