QUITTING WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH: A DOWNSIDE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Dai, Hengchen; Dietvorst, Berkeley J.; Tuckfield, Bradford; Milkman, Katherine L.; Schweitzer, Maurice E.
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Los Angeles; University of Chicago; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania
• 刊物名称: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0001-4273
• DOI: 10.5465/amj.2014.1045
• 发表日期: 2018
• 页码: 1667-1691
• 关键词: regression discontinuity designs; SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY; Impression management; field experiments; SAVING FACE; efficacy; EMBARRASSMENT; disadvantage; persistence; PYGMALION

摘要

High performance expectations often improve performance. When individuals with high external performance expectations encounter early setbacks, however, they face impression management concerns and the prospect of embarrassment. As a result, when the going gets tough, individuals facing high external expectations may be less likely to persist than people facing low external expectations. In a field study of 328,515 men's professional tennis matches (Study 1), we employ a regression discontinuity design to demonstrate that, after losing the first set of a match, players who are expected to win (favorites) are significantly more likely to quit than players who are expected to lose (underdogs). We replicate this pattern of results in a laboratory experiment (Study 2) and provide evidence for our proposed mechanism: compared to individuals facing low external expectations, those facing high expectations are more easily embarrassed by poor performance and consequently less persistent following early setbacks.