Which of the following scenarios is the best example of self-handicapping?

A) Roy is a cigarette smoker. He does not like to hear about the health risks of smoking. He, therefore, ignores such information or dismisses it as invalid, and continues to smoke.
B) Yuki and her friends do not study much. Since Yuki does not know anyone who studies hard, she assumes that nobody does. As a consequence, she continues to have terrible grades.
C) Jacques has a big wrestling match coming up, but he fears that he will lose to his more accomplished opponent. The week before the match, he deliberately overeats and falls ill. Thus, if he actually loses the match, he can blame it on his poor health.
D) When Olivia has had a long day at work, she yells at her children in the evening. She usually feels bad about this soon after. But she justifies her behavior with the reasoning, "I am the parent here and I have the right to discipline my children."

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Maria Menkin · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  Self-handicapping is a strategy where individuals create obstacles and excuses for themselves so that if they do poorly on a task, they can avoid blaming their failure on a lack of ability. Jacques deliberately impairing his health before a match to have an excuse in case of loss is an example of self-handicapping.

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