The DOI matches its Crossref record; 167 of the 167 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Esteem Threat, Self-Regulatory Breakdown, and Emotional Distress as Factors in Self-Defeating Behavior
Abstract
Patterns of human self-defeating or self-destructive behavior are examined in relation to several hypothesized causes. Threatened egotism appears to be a major, pervasive cause: Self-defeating responses are especially common when people feel that others may perceive them less favorably than the people desire. Self-regulation failure is also a common element in most self-defeating behavior. Emotional distress is often a precipitating factor. Several causal processes, including foolish risk taking and escapist responses, link emotional distress to self-defeat.
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“psychosocial difficulties such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, body image disturbance and eating disorders, and sexual compulsivity have been argued to involve failures of self-regulation, particularly likely to be activated under threatening circumstances”
From A transdiagnostic minority stress treatment approach for gay and bisexual men's syndemic health conditions (2015) · cites this paper as Baumeister, 1997
Citations
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The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior
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Emotional distress regulation takes precedence over impulse control: If you feel bad, do it!
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Metadata
- Authors
- Baumeister, R. F.
- Affiliations
- Case Western Reserve University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Baumeister, Roy F.
- ORCID
- Baumeister, Roy F.
- Venue
- Review of General Psychology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1997-06
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 145-174
- ISSN
- 1089-2680 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1552
- OpenAlex
- W2063197027
- Cited by
- 268
- References
- 167
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Review of General Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Keywords
- self-defeating behavior, self-defeat, self-regulation failure, emotional distress, self-esteem threat, self-destructive behavior
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- Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Esteem Threat, Self-Regulatory Breakdown, and Emotional Distress as Factors in Self-Defeating Behavior. Review of General Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.1.2.145
