As students, I’m sure we have all felt a degree of anxiety. Whether it was social or general, or even just too much stress about academics. However, anxiety and high self-presentational motivation come as a double edged sword to those who experience it. Self-presentational motivation is defined as the “degree to which people are concerned with how others perceive them…” (Gruman et al., 2017, 103). This, combined with social or general anxiety, can make for a suffocating combination.
As if anxiety wasn’t enough, it’s usually accompanied by a sense of perfectionism that can be debilitating. Now applying this with academic overachievement, especially in university students, there’s a whirlwind of debilitating personality dimensions. Though, it’s more common than you’d think. Perfectionism can lead to burnout, self-sabotage, depression, etc… all while still dealing with anxiety.
A cross sectional study was conducted on the subject by Katherine Natasha Smith-Mace at the University of Bristol. Results indicated these dimensions influence student’s level of academic motivation and performance. With anxiety comes doubt, and with doubt comes a higher intention to influence how you are perceived. It’s a vicious circle. However, there are different steps and measures that can be taken to lessen these dimensions.
University counseling, psychiatry, talking with peers, seeking support from loved ones, the choices are almost endless. There are also steps that can be taken alone to lessen the feelings of pressure and anxiety, like music or exercise. There are always options and help to be taken.
Sources:
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Chapter 5: Applying Social Psychology to Clinical and Counseling Psychology. In Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed., pp. 97-127). Sage.
Smith-Mace, K. N. (2020, January). Beyond the Big-5: Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Academic Motivation in Higher Educational Students. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338840820_Beyond_the_Big-5_Perfectionistic_Self-Presentation_and_Academic_Motivation_in_Higher_Educational_Students
Your analysis highlights the complex interplay between anxiety, perfectionism, and academic performance, which many students can relate to. I completely agree that this combination can create a suffocating environment, especially in an academic setting. I’d like totake an alternativeapproach regarding the role of self-compassion in mitigating the effects of anxiety and perfectionism. Research suggests that self-compassion can serve as a buffer against the negative impacts of self-presentational concerns. Instead of striving for perfection and fearing judgment, students who practice self-compassion are more likely to embrace their imperfections and view setbacks as part of the learning process (Neff, 2011). This shift in mindset can reduce anxiety and promote resilience, allowing students to engage more authentically in their academic pursuits. Also, while traditional support systems like counseling and peer discussions are vital, fostering a culture of self-compassion within academic environments could be an additional strategy to help students manage their anxiety. Encouraging practices such as mindfulness and self-acceptance can empower students to focus on personal growth rather than external validation, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being.
References
Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. William Morrow.
Self-Presentational Motivation can be both a blessing and a curse like you mentioned. For one thing, we need anxiety and pressures a little bit to do the right thing. At times, our conscience might fail us and we might want to do something unacceptable. For example, if you could not afford something at a store but really wanted it, you might think about stealing it. If your conscience thinks it is a good idea because you want the item that badly, your brain might stop you when you think about how others would view you if you stole from a store. You might begin to think about what your friends and family would say to you/treat you if they found out. So, in an instance like this, self-presentational motivation is a good thing. That anxiety and fear of how we are viewed can keep us from doing awful things. This example applies to things lot less severe like the student example. Students get way too stressed sometimes about work, but a little bit of stress is sometimes necessary to get the job done.
It is interesting that the self-presentation theory can actually help to minimize anxiety in these social situations. This theory might be able to help reduce the feeling that this is a “double edged sword”. According to the textbook, self-presentation theory involves social role play that allows participants with social anxiety to practice specific situations and be able to see that they can go smoothly (Gruman et al., 2017). I think this would be very helpful because it aims to reduce stress in situations that an individual should not hav anxiety, but allows that stress to stay in situations that in individual might benefit from stress.
I liked your title “Double Edged Sword of Social Anxiety and Self Presentational Motivation”. I think it emphasizes the fine line between the positive and negative effects this can have. Great Post!
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US)
The concept of self-presentational motivation, as described by Gruman et al. (2017), plays a critical role in shaping how individuals behave and perform in social and academic contexts. When students are overly concerned with how they are perceived by peers, professors, or even themselves, it can become a source of intense stress. The desire to project an image of competence or perfection can exacerbate existing feelings of anxiety and lead to maladaptive behaviors like procrastination, avoidance, or even self-sabotage. This creates a vicious cycle where anxiety leads to doubt, and that doubt fuels even more anxiety about how one is perceived.
Perfectionism, as you mentioned, is a major contributor to this cycle. Perfectionist tendencies can push students to set unrealistically high standards for themselves, which can result in constant feelings of inadequacy. Even when a student achieves something, perfectionism may prevent them from truly feeling accomplished, as they are constantly raising the bar for what constitutes success. Over time, this can lead to burnout, a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that can severely impact mental health. The perfectionist-anxiety dynamic can also contribute to depression, as students begin to feel trapped in an endless loop of striving for unattainable goals.