Defeat and destructive patterns: a brief review of recent studies. Part 2

We presented a brief review of studies identifying mechanisms associated with self-defeating (or self-destruction) patterns. The latter patterns are defined as any deliberate or intentional beliefs and behaviors that have negative effects on the self or on the self’s projects. It is reviewed studies examining self-esteem, threatened egotism, deservingness, and social exclusion entailing self-defeating patterns. A recent literature witnesses that a low level of self-esteem can lead to self-defeating patterns. Second source is threatened egotism. Self-defeating responses are especially common when people feel that others may perceive them less favorably than the people desire. Two variables related to self-esteem may mostly tap vulnerability to ego threats. One is narcissism as inflated or exaggerated favorable views of self. Another is unstable self-esteem. Third source of self-defeat is deservingness. Much theorizing and research of it is originating with Just World Theory. It indicates that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. The general idea is that, to the extent people might adopt various self-defeating beliefs and behaviors following the experience of misfortune because people feel compelled to view misfortune. Fourth source of self-defeat is social exclusion. It relies on the assumption that the need to belong is one of the most basic human motivations. Then so being excluded from social relationships would be a potentially powerful blow. The social exclusion leads to anxiety, depression, jealousy, loneliness, low self-esteem, fear of social rejection and exclusion. In conclusion, it is worth noting that self-esteem, threatened egotism, deservingness, and social exclusion appear along the interpersonal axis Self - Others relationships yet in various biases. Thus, our claim is that mechanisms associated with self-defeating patterns would be heterogeneous rather than homogeneous. Besides, our assumption is that self-defeating patterns would be based on a common resource. It would combine self-esteem, threatened egotism, deservingness, and social exclusion as some portions of commonality. Then, some perspective can be delineated to move from one-dimensional questionnaires to multidimensional ones to measure self-defeating patterns and to construct a new theory of self-defeating beliefs and behaviors.