Abstract
In studies of self-regulation, it has been claimed that avoidance strategies are maladaptive, that is, that they have deleterious effects on performance and affect. The present review of the research literature on self-regulation, such as distraction, avoidance of help seeking, and self-handicapping, revealed that, contrary to previous claims, avoidance strategies have not always been maladaptive. The following hypothesis was proposed to explain these results: Avoidance strategies are maladaptive only when they are accompanied by avoidance goals. The published literature was reexamined, focusing on the goals that research participants adopted, and additional research was conducted. The results, showing that goals or intentions play an important role in whether avoidance strategies have a negative effect on performance and affect, suggested the validity of our hypothesis.
