AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN 8th GRADE STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF ACADEMIC RISK TAKING AND THEIR POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PERFECTIONISM TRAITS

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the relationship between positive and negative perfectionism traits and academic risk taking levels of 8th grade students. For this purpose relational method was used in the study. The sample was consist of 216 Primary School students (114 girls and 102 boys) attending 8th grade during 2011-2012 academic year first semester in Battalgazi-Malatya. "Positive and Negative Perfectionism Sclae" developed by Kırdök (2004) to determine traits of students' positive and negative perfectionism and "Academic Risk Taking Scale" developed by Clifford (1991) and was adapted to Turkish by Korkmaz (2002) to determine students'academic risk taking levels were used. The obtained data were analyzed by means of SPSS 17.0 package program.To analyze the obtained data Pearson-Product Moment Correlation was used. According the results obtained from the study, it was found that there is a significant and positive relationship between positive perfectionism and academic risk taking levels of students. It is determined that there is a significant and negative relationship between students' negative perfectionism traits and their academic risk taking levels.

Keywords

• Positive and negative perfectionism
• academic risk taking
• 8th grade students

References

1. Ashby, J.S., & Rice, K.G. (2002). Perfectionism, Dysfunctional Attitudes, and Self-Esteem: A Structural Equations Analysis. Journal of Counseling and Development, 80(2), 197-203.
2. Bieling, P.J., Israeli, A., Smith, J., & Antony, M.M. (2003). Making the Grade: The Behavioral Consequences of Perfectionism in the Classroom. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 163-178.
3. Bieling, P.J., Israeli, A., Smith, J., & Antony, M.M. (2004). Is Perfectionism Good, Bad, or Both? Examining Models of the Perfectionism Construct. Personalityand Individual Differences, 36, 1373-1385.
4. Blackburn, S.M. (2003). The Relationship Between Perfectionism, Aversive Self-Awareness, Negative Affect and Binge Eating. Unpublished Master Thesis, University of Canterbury.
5. Blankstein, K.R., Flett, G.L., Hewitt, P.L., & Eng, A. (1993). Dimensions of Perfectionism and Irrational Fears: An Examination with The Fear Survey Schedule. Personality and Individual Differences, 15, 323-328.
6. Blatt, S.J. (1995). The Destructiveness of Perfectionism. Implications for the Treatment of Depression. American Psychologist, 50, 1003-1020.
7. Borynack, Z.A. (2003). Contextual Influences in the Relationship of Perfectionism and Anxiety: A Multidimensional Perspective. Unpublished Doctorate Thesis, Oklahoma University.
8. Burns, D.D. (1980). The Perfectionists Script for Self-Defeat. Psychology Today, 34-51.

9. Burns, L.R., & Fedewa, B.A. (2005). Cognitive Styles; Links With Perfectionistic Thinking. Personality and Individual Differences, 38(1), 103–113.
10. Clifford, M.M. (1991). Risk Taking, Theoretical, Empirical, and Educational Considerations. Eudcational Psychologist, 26(3&4), 263-297.
11. Clifford, M.M., & Chou, F. (1991). Effects of Payoff and Task Context on Academic Risk Taking. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(4), 499-507.
12. Enns, M.W., Cox, B.J., & Clara, I. (2002). Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionism: Developmental Origins and Association with Depression Proneness. Personality and Individual Differences, 33(6), 921-935.
13. Erol, Z. (2011). Perfectionist Personality. İstanbul: Timas Publishing.
14. Esen Kıran, B. (2005). Investigation of Risk Taking Behavior and Academic Achievement in Adolescents. Çukurova University Faculty of Education, 2(29), 8-13.
15. Fedewa, B. A., Burns, L.R., & Gomez, A.A. (2005). Positive and Negative Perfectionism and the Shame/Guilt Distinction: Adaptive and Maladaptive Characteristics. Personality and Individual Differences, 38(7), 1609-1619.
16. Ferrari, J.R. (1992). Procrastinators and Perfect Behavior: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of Self-Presentation, Self-Awareness and Self-Handicapping Components. Journal of Research in Personality, 26(1),75-84.
17. Flett, G.L., & Hewitt, P.L. (2002b). Perfectionism and Maladjustment: An Overview of Theoretical, Definitional and Treatment Issues. In G.L. Flett & P.L. Hewitt, (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, Research and Treatment (pp.5-31). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
18. Frost, R.O., Heimberg, R.G., Holt, C.S., Mattia, J.I., & Neubauer, A.L. (1993). A Comparison of Two Measures of Perfectionism. Personality and Individual Differences, 14(1), 119-126.
19. Frost, R.O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The Dimensions of Perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14(5), 449-468.
20. Hamachek, D.E. (1978). Psychodynamics of Normal and Neurotic Perfectionism. Psychology, 15(1), 27-33.
21. Hanımoğlu, E., & İnanç, B.Y. (2011). The Analysis of the Relation Among Test Anxiety, Perfectionism and the Attitudes of Parents of the Secondary Students Who Will Pass Placement Test. Journal of Çukurova University Institute of Social Sciences, 20(1), 351-366.
22. Hewitt, P.L., & Flett, G.L. (1991a). Dimensions of Perfectionism in Unipolar Depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100(1), 98-101.
23. Hewitt, P.L., & Flett, G.L. (1991b). Perfectionism in the Self and Social Contexts: Conceptualization, Assessment, and Association with Psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(3), 456-470.
24. House, D.J. (2002). An İnvestigation of The Effects of Gender and Academic Self-Efficacy on Academic Risk-Taking for Adolescent Students. UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Umi Number: 3066174.
25. Karasar, N. (2009). Scientific Research Method. Ankara: Nobel Distribution.
26. Kırdök, O. (2004). Olumlu ve Olumsuz Mükemmeliyetçilik Ölçeği Geliştirme Çalışması. [Reliability and Validity Studies of Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
27. Korkmaz, H. (2002). Fen Eğitiminde Proje Tabanlı Öğrenmenin Yaratıcı Düşünme, Problem Çözme ve Akademik Risk Alma Düzeylerine Etkisi. [The Effects of Project Based Learning on Creative Thinking Ability, Problem Solving Ability and Level of Academic Risk Taking in Science Education]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
28. Kottman, T., & Ashby, J. (2000). Perfectionistic Children and Adolescents: İmplications for School Counselors. Professional School Counseling, 3(3), 182-188.
29. KoUn E., & Kenneth G.R. (2011): Test Anxiety, Perfectionism, Goal Orientation and Academic Performance. Anxiety, Stress & Coping: An International Journal, 24(2), 167-178.
30. McCranie, E.W., & Bass, J.D. (1984). Childhood Family Antecedents of Dependency and Self-Criticism: Implications for Depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93(1), 3-8.
31. Neihart, M. (2010). Systematic Risk-Taking. Roeper Review, 21(4), 289-292.
32. Pacht, A.R. (1984). Reflections on Perfection. American Psychologist, 39(4), 386-390.
33. Pallant, J. (2005). SPSS Survıval Manual: A Step by Step Guıde to Data Analysis Using SPSS for Wındows. Australia: Australian Copyright.
34. Parker, W.D. (1997). An Emprical Typology of Perfectionism in Academically Talented Children. American Educational Research Journal, 34, 545-562.
35. Parker, W.D. (2000). Healthy Perfectionism in The Gifted. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 11(4), 173-183.
36. Parker, W.D., & Adkins, K.K. (1995). Perfectionism and the Gifted. Roeper Review, 17(3), 13-21.
37. Quadland, M.C. (1980). Private Self-Consciousness, Attribution or Responsibility, and Perfectionistic Thinking in Secondary Erectile Dysfunction. Journal of Sexual and Marital Therapy, 6, 47-55.
38. Ram, A. (2005). The Relationship of Positive and Negative Perfectionism to Academic Achievement, Achievement Motivation, and Well-Being in Tertiary Students. Unpublished Master Thesis, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
39. Rheaume, J., Ladouceur, R., & Freeston, M.H. (2000). The Prediction of Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies: Does Perfectionism Play A Significant Role? Personality and İndividual Differences, 28(3), 583-592.
40. Rice, K.G., & Ashby, J.S. (2007). An Efficient Method for Classifying Perfectionists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 72-85.
41. Rice, K., Ashby, J., & Preusser, K. (1996). Perfectionism, Relationships with Parents and Self-esteem. Journal of Individual Psychology, 52, 246-260.
42. Rice, K.G., Ashby, J.S., & Slaney, R. (1998). Self-Esteem As a Meditor Between Perfectionism and Depression: A Structual Equations Analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 45, 304-314.
43. Rice, K.G., Lopez, F.G., & Vergara, D. (2005). Parental/Social İnfluences on Perfectionism and Adult Attachment Orientations. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 580-605.
44. Rice, K., & Mizradeh, S. (2000). Perfectionism, Attachment and Adjustment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(2), 238–250.
45. Roedell, W.C. (1984). Vulnerabilities of Highly Gifted Children. Roeper Review, 6(3), 127-130.
46. Sarıoğlu, A.F. (2011). Öğretmen Adaylarının Akademik Erteleme Eğilimi ile Mükemmeliyetçilik Düzeyleri Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi. [The Relationship Between Teacher Candidates' Academic Procrastination Tendency and Their Level of Perfectionism]. Unpublished Master Thesis, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
47. Shafran, R., & Mansell, W. (2001). Perfectionism and Psychopathology: A Review of Research and Treatment. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(6), 879–906.
48. Sipahi, B., Yurtkoru, S., & Çinko, M. (2010). Sosyal Bilimlerde SPSS’le Veri Analizi. İstanbul: Beta Basım Yayım Dağıtım.
49. Slaney, R.B., & Ashby, J.S. (1996). Perfectionists: Study of a Criterion Group. Journal of Counseling and Development, 74, 393-398.
50. Slaney, R.B., Ashby, J.S., & Trippi, J. (1995). Perfectionism: Its Measurement and Career Relevance. Journal of Career Assessment, 3, 279–297.
51. Slaney, R.B., Rice, K.G., & Ashby, J.S. (2002). A Programmatic Approach to Measuring Perfectionism: The Almost Perfect Scales. In G.L. Flett & P.L. Hewitt (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment (pp. 63-88). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
52. Sorotzkin, B. (1998). Understanding and Treating Perfectionism in Religious Adolescents. Psychotherapy, 35, 87-95.
53. Stoeber, J., & Rambow, A. (2007). Perfectionism in Adolescent School Students: Relations with Motivation, Achievement and Well-Being. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(7), 1379-1389.
54. Strum, I.S. (1971). The Relationship of Creativity and Academic Risk-Taking Among Fifth Graders: Final Report. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No: ED046212.
55. Stumpf, H., & Parker, W.D. (2000). A Hierarchical Structural Analysis of Perfectionism and its Relation to Other Personality Characteristics. Personality and Individual Differences, 28, 837-852.
56. Stoeber, J., & Eismann, U. (2007). Perfectionism in Young Musicians: Relations with Motivation, Effort, Achievement and Distress. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 2182-2192.
57. Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006). Positive Conceptions of Perfectionism: Approaches, Evidence, Challenges. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10, 295-319.
58. Stoeber, J., & Rambow, A. (2007). Perfectionism in Adolescent School Students: Relations with Motivation, Achievement and Well-Being. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(7), 1379-1389.
59. Terry-Short, L.A., Owens, R.G., Slade, P.D., & Dewey, M.E. (1995). Positive and Negative Perfectionism. Personality and Individual Differences, 18, 663-666.
60. Tire, Y. (2011). Ön Ergenlerde Olumlu ve Olumsuz Mükemmeliyetçilik ile Algılanan Anne Baba Tutumları Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi [The Investigation of the Relationship Between Positive And Negative Perfectionism and Perceieved Parenting Style In Pre-Adolescents]. Unpublished Master Thesis, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
61. Witcher, L.A., Alexander, E.S., Onwuegbuzie, A.J., Kollins, K.M.T., & Witcher, A.E. (2007). The Relationship between Psychology Students’ Levels of Perfectionism and Achievement in a Graduate-level Research Methodology Course. Personality and Individual Differences, 43(6), 1396-1405.