Abstract: Self-handicapping is a strategy of self-protection or self-enhancement in the face of an evaluation threat. Self-handicapping can be divided into three categories, that are behavioral self-handicapping, claimed self-handicapping and other-enhancement strategy, but what are the mechanisms, antecedent variables and consequences underlying the three categories is little known. Since the self-handicapping paradigm was established, many researchers have been exploring situational variables and personal variables which may influence self-handicapping, such as the task quality, evaluativeness, gender, self-esteem, attributional style etc, but the study of the motives of self-handicapping should emphasize the interaction of the evaluativeness and the other mediate factors, and should further explore the effect of implicit self-esteem.

Key words: self-handicapping, behavioral self-handicapping, claimed self-handicapping, other-enhancement, situational and personal variables