GROUP EFFECTS AND SELF-HANDICAPPING

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship of g roup cohesion to self-handicapping. The first issue focused on the rel ationship between the personality trait of self-handicapping and perce ptions of group cohesion. A significant negative relationship (p < .00 1) was found between individual differences in the self-handicapping t rait of making excuses and perceptions of the group's task cohesivenes s. The second issue focused on whether group cohesion serves to modera te the relationship between the trait of self-handicapping and the use of self-handicapping strategies. The results showed that social cohes ion was a significant (p < .006) moderator between the tendency to mak e excuses and the use of self-handicapping strategies. When social coh esion was high, the tendency to make excuses was positively related to the degree to which impediments to preparation for competition were p erceived to be present.