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Cited by 780Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety StudiesPersonality Traits and PsychologyGrit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation

Perfectionism is increasing over time: A meta-analysis of birth cohort differences from 1989 to 2016

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Curran, Thomas, Hill, Andrew P.·2019·Psychological Bulletin
DOI 10.1037/bul0000138
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Abstract

From the 1980s onward, neoliberal governance in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom has emphasized competitive individualism and people have seemingly responded, in kind, by agitating to perfect themselves and their lifestyles. In this study, the authors examine whether cultural changes have coincided with an increase in multidimensional perfectionism in college students over the last 27 years. Their analyses are based on 164 samples and 41,641 American, Canadian, and British college students, who completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991) between 1989 and 2016 (70.92% female, Mage = 20.66). Cross-temporal meta-analysis revealed that levels of self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, and other-oriented perfectionism have linearly increased. These trends remained when controlling for gender and between-country differences in perfectionism scores. Overall, in order of magnitude of the observed increase, the findings indicate that recent generations of young people perceive that others are more demanding of them, are more demanding of others, and are more demanding of themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

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Authors
Curran, T., & Hill, A. P.
Affiliations
York St John University (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2019-04
Volume
145
Issue
4
Pages
410-429
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
DOI
10.1037/bul0000138
OpenAlex
W2775780184
Cited by
780
References
264
Citations by year
2026: 116 · 2025: 111 · 2024: 89 · 2023: 98 · 2022: 102 · 2021: 113 · 2020: 81 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 16 · 2016: 1
FWCI
6.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at York St John (York St John University) (acceptedVersion)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science Theses Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
  • Pure (University of Bath) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation
Keywords
perfectionism, self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, birth cohort differences, cross-temporal trends, university students, neoliberalism, competitive individualism, cultural change, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale
MeSH terms
Perfectionism, Adult, Canada, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Male, Students, United States, Young Adult

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