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Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students

Received: 18 June 2013     Published: 10 July 2013
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Abstract

Perfectionism is currently believed to be a multidimensional construct. This study focused on the perspective that perfectionism has both positive and negative qualities. Specifically, this study predicted that adaptive perfectionists would perform better on a task and have higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy than maladaptive perfectionists. Maladaptive perfectionists, in general, have been found to have lower performance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Sixty-five university students completed two trials on the O’Conner Tweezer Dexterity Test and completed questionnaires about perfectionism, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. As predicted, the adaptive perfectionists showed the greatest performance increases on the task as well as reporting higher self-esteem and self-efficacy than the other perfectionist styles. This study supports the perspective that perfectionism can be positive and negative.

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 2, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16
Page(s) 117-123
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Perfectionism, Dexterity, Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, College Students

References
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[4] Rice, K. G., & Ashby, J. S. (2007). An efficient method for classifying perfectionists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54(1), 72-85. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.54.1.72
[5] Grzegorek, J. L., Slaney, R. B., Franze, S., & Rice, K. G. (2004). Self-criticism, dependency, self-esteem, and grade point average satisfaction among clusters of perfectionists and nonperfectionists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(2), 192-200. doi: 10.1037/0022-0167.51.2.192
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[7] Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(3), 456-470. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.60.3.456
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[9] Chang, E. C., Watkins, A., & Banks, K. (2004). How adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism relate to positive and negative psychological functioning: Testing a stress-mediation model in black and white female college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(1), 93-102. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.51.1.93
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[13] Stoeber, J., Chesterman, D., & Tarn, T. (2010). Perfectionism and task performance: Time on task mediates the perfectionistic strivings–performance relationship. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(4), 458-462. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2009.11.021
[14] Kobori, O., Hayakawa, M., & Tanno, Y. (2009). Do perfectionists raise their standards after success? An experimental examination of the revaluation of standard setting in perfectionism. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 40(4), 515-521. doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2009.07.003
[15] Hanchon, T. A. (2010). The relations between perfectionism and achievement goals. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 885-890. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2010.07.023
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Brandy M. Chufar, Terry F. Pettijohn II. (2013). Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 2(3), 117-123. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16

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    ACS Style

    Brandy M. Chufar; Terry F. Pettijohn II. Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2013, 2(3), 117-123. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16

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    AMA Style

    Brandy M. Chufar, Terry F. Pettijohn II. Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students. Psychol Behav Sci. 2013;2(3):117-123. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16,
      author = {Brandy M. Chufar and Terry F. Pettijohn II},
      title = {Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students},
      journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
      volume = {2},
      number = {3},
      pages = {117-123},
      doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20130203.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20130203.16},
      abstract = {Perfectionism is currently believed to be a multidimensional construct. This study focused on the perspective that perfectionism has both positive and negative qualities. Specifically, this study predicted that adaptive perfectionists would perform better on a task and have higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy than maladaptive perfectionists. Maladaptive perfectionists, in general, have been found to have lower performance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Sixty-five university students completed two trials on the O’Conner Tweezer Dexterity Test and completed questionnaires about perfectionism, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. As predicted, the adaptive perfectionists showed the greatest performance increases on the task as well as reporting higher self-esteem and self-efficacy than the other perfectionist styles. This study supports the perspective that perfectionism can be positive and negative.},
     year = {2013}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Department of Psychology, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA

  • Department of Psychology, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA

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