This study examined how perceptions of resources and self-handicapping tendencies influence challenge and threat responses. 58 students completed a shuffleboard task under pressure with varying resource conditions. Those told they had sufficient resources to succeed (resource condition) reported higher threat responses if they also scored high in self-handicapping, which refers to downplaying one's abilities to protect against failure. However, challenge responses did not differ based on self-handicapping. The findings suggest that having resources is not always psychologically beneficial as predicted by models, as it can increase pressure for high self-handicappers. The dynamic between challenge, resources, and self-protection is more complex than models assume.

1. Practice Does Not Make Perfect: A Re-examination of the Challenge vs. Threat Model
Sam Lee, Erika Migeon, and Harry Wallace
Trinity University, San Antonio
Methods
Participants: 58 Introductory Psychology students.
Slider Task: Participants completed a table-top
shuffleboard task that required them to shoot a chip
towards a target with various scores assigned
depending on how close to the target they got.
Performance Pressure: Applied by the looming
presence of the experimenter, and by the assertion
that the task was designed to probe differences in
how people perform under pressure.
Independent Variable: Participants were randomly
assigned to no resource or resource conditions.
No Resource Condition: Participants were given 1
practice shot, followed by 5 scored shots.
Resource Condition: In addition to taking the shots
given to the no resource participants, resource
condition participants completed a second round of
shots (again, 1 practice shot, followed by 5 scored
shots). Prior to the second round, the experimenter
told participants that they merely needed to perform
90% as well as they did in the first round to avoid
being categorized as having choked under pressure
—explicitly noting that they obviously possessed the
resources to succeed.
Self-handicapping Scale: Before the task instructions,
participants completed Strube’s (1986) 10-item
version of the Jones and Rhodewalt (1982) measure.
Challenge & Threat Affect DV: After the task
instructions and immediately before performing the
final round of the task, participants completed state
measures of challenge versus threat affect, adopted
from McGregor and Elliot (2002).
Results & Implications
• As hypothesized, high self-handicapping
predicted higher threat affect in the resource
present condition, though the opposite pattern
was not observed for challenge affect.
• The findings suggest that the dynamic between
challenge and resources is more intricate than
the BPS model permits.
References:
• Blascovich, J., & Tomaka, J. (1996). The biopsychosocial model of arousal
regulation. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 28, 1-51.
• Jones, E. E., & Rhodewalt, F. (1982). The self-handicapping scale. Unpublished
manuscript. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.
• McGregor, H. A., & Elliot, A. J. (2002). Achievement goals as predictors of
achievement-relevant processes prior to task engagement. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 94, 381-395..
• Strube, M. J. (1986). An analysis of the self-handicapping scale. Basic and Applied
Social Psychology, 7(3), 211-224.
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
No Resource Resource
ThreatAffect(1-5scale)
Low Self-
handicapping
High Self-
handicapping
Interaction: β = 0.38, SE = 0.18, p = .002
Overview
Well-established in social motivation literature, the
Biopsychosocial Model (BPS; Blascovich & Tomaka,
1996) posits that when individuals perceive that
they have the resources required to successfully
execute a forthcoming task, they will respond
adaptively with a optimistic challenge response.
Conversely, when they do not perceive that they
have the resources, they will respond
maladaptively with a pessimistic threat response.
In the current research we suggest that the model
neglects to account for instances where an
individual possess the necessary resources, but the
resources become a psychological burden rather
than a benefit. Due to their possession of
resources, they have less excuse for failure and
they may feel pressure to meet high expectations.
This possibility resembles the phenomenon of self-
handicapping, which describes how people
downplay or damage their personal resources to
protect themselves from the implications of failure.
In our experiment, we hypothesized that
individuals high in trait self-handicapping would
be more likely to demonstrate a threat response
and less likely to show a challenge response when
given resources.
.
For additional information please contact Erika Migeon at
emigeon@trinity.edu or Sam Lee at slee8@trinity.edu
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
No Resource Resource
ChallengeAffect(1-5scale)
Low Self-
handicapping
High Self-
handicapping
Interaction: β = -.04, SE = 0.26, p = .74 (ns)