A Study of Social Approval Motives and Self-Handicapping Behaviour Among Adolescents

The present study was conducted to identify the factors related to social approval motives which may contribute in the development of self- handicapping behaviour among adolescents. Defensiveness, Dependency, Normative Behavior, Positive Self Presentation, Social Approval, Social Conformity and Social Responsiveness were selected as predictor variable. The sample of the present study consisted 300 adolescent students (150 males and 150 females) within the age group of 13-17 years, studying in different C.B.S.E. Schools located in Meerut city, India. To measure approval motives, Approval Motive Scale by N.K.M. Tripathi and Roma Pal was used and self- handicapping scale constructed by the researchers was used to measure the level of self- handicapping behaviour among adolescents. Correlation and Multiple Regression was employed for analysis of the data. Result showed a significant negative correlation between self- handicapping behaviour and Defensiveness, Dependency, Social approval and Social Responsiveness. Normative behaviour was significantly and positively correlated with self- handicapping behaviour. However, Positive Self-Presentation and Social Conformity were not found correlated significantly with self- handicapping behaviour. Findings revealed that Defensiveness, Dependency and Social approval contributed significantly and emerged as predictors of self- handicapping behaviour among adolescents.