Perfectionism and defensively high self-esteem: Understanding the role of perfectionism, implicit self-esteem, and explicit self-esteem in predicting defensiveness

The present study examined the interaction between perfectionism and defensive self-esteem (i.e. being high in explicit self-esteem but low in implicit self-esteem) on defensiveness. Explicit self-esteem was measured by looking at commonly used self report individual measures (i.e. the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale-Revised). Implicit self-esteem, a concept tapping nonconscious self-evaluation, was mined by using indirect methods (i.e. the self-esteem Implicit Associations Test (IAT) and the initial-preference task). Perfectionism was viewed as a multidimensional and measured using the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS, Hewitt & Flett, 1991). Defensiveness was measured in a number of ways, namely in terms of self-reported narcissism, defensive pessimism, perfectionistic self-promotion and the desire to hide both verbally and behaviorally one's imperfections.; Thus naturally occurring levels of perfectionism, implicit self-esteem, explicit self-esteem and defensiveness were obtained in 95 York University members. The threeway interaction between high perfectionism, low implicit self-esteem and high explicit self-esteem was predictive of greater nondisplay of imperfection and narcissism (when compared to those low in perfectionism). The complex interplay between perfectionism, low implicit self-esteem and high explicit self-esteem is elucidated by jointly examining early theorizing on perfectionism along side current empirical work on social cognition as it pertains to the self. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the difficulty treating perfectionists and in research aimed at predicting bulimic symptoms.