Project Details
Projekt
Perfectionism in an achievement context: The role of self-regulation processes
Subject Area
Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
Term
from 2015 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 285692189
The overarching objective of the project is to analyze the role that self-regulation processes play in the link between perfectionism, achievement outcomes, and well-being. The idea that perfectionistic strivings--that is, the tendency to set exceedingly high standards for performance and to strive for their attainment--might be beneficial to adaptive psychological functioning is controversial. Existing research on this topic is largely dominated by bivariate correlational findings. Recently, researchers have called for a different approach that examines the conditions under which perfectionistic strivings may be beneficial or detrimental to performance and well-being. Therefore, the first aim of the project is to start to close this gap by testing whether self-regulation competencies (self-control, affect regulation) moderate the relation of perfectionistic strivings with performance and well-being. The second aim of the project is to test the assumption that rigid (re)setting of very high goals even in the face of failures has long-term detrimental effects on performance and well-being. To go beyond previous research, the project focuses on repeated personally-relevant achievement situations in natural life across a longer time span (six demonstration lessons by trainee teachers across 12 months). We aim to empirically differentiate between perfectionistic strivings and conscientiousness: Individuals with high strivings (and high concerns) should demonstrate more rigidity in re-setting performance goals, whereas conscientious individuals should demonstrate high, but more flexible goal re-setting. The third aim of the project is to test the assumption that perfectionistic concerns are related to reduced daily self-control. We aim to test whether the proposed negative relationship between perfectionistic concerns and self-control generalizes across different aspects of self-control (e.g., temptations, lower resistance to temptations, more procrastination). Method: 270 trainee teachers will be recruited via five Rhineland-Palatinate teacher training centers. The project combines traditional longitudinal assessment (pre-/post demonstration lesson measurement points, separated several weeks apart to assess goal setting and performance outcomes) with ambulatory assessment (repeated daily assessment phases of 10 days preceding each of the 6 demonstration lesson to assess self-control and affect regulation). Structural equation modelling, multilevel modelling, and mixture latent Markov modelling will be used to test the hypotheses. In particular, mixture latent Markov models will be applied to the repeated-measures data of goal levels set for upcoming demonstration lessons. This modelling approach has not yet been used in this research area and will allow a deeper understanding of individual differences in the rigidity (vs. flexibility) of goal resetting and in individual differences in the influence that success/failure has on goal adjustment.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
