What strategy do people use when they act in a way that makes success less likely, in order to avoid blaming their abilities for failure?

Behavioral self-handicapping is a strategy where individuals create obstacles that make success less likely, thereby providing themselves with an external reason for potential failure rather than attributing it to a lack of skill or ability. This mechanism allows individuals to maintain their self-esteem by shifting the blame away from themselves and their inherent capabilities.

For example, a student might procrastinate on studying for an exam. If they perform poorly, they can attribute the failure to their lack of preparation instead of questioning their intelligence or study skills. This helps them preserve a favorable self-image by protecting their sense of competence.

Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs or behaviors, leading to a change in beliefs or attitudes to reduce that discomfort. Emotional regulation involves managing and responding to one’s emotional experiences effectively, while external attribution focuses on explaining outcomes based on external factors rather than internal ones. While these concepts relate to self-perception and evaluations, they do not describe the proactive behavioral strategy of self-handicapping where individuals intentionally create barriers to minimize personal accountability for failure.