What makes a person a perfectionist? What is the good and bad about it?
2006-07-17 10:45:58 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Hamachek (cited by Parker & Adkins 1994) describes two types of perfectionism. Normal perfectionists "derive a very real sense of pleasure from the labours of a painstaking effort" while neurotic perfectionists are "unable to feel satisfaction because in their own eyes they never seem to do things good enough to warrant that feeling". Burns (also in Parker & Adkins 1994) defines perfectionists as "people who strain compulsively and unremittingly toward impossible goals and who measure their own worth entirely in terms of productivity and accomplishment."
Hewitt and Flett (1991) devised the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale (PSPS), which rates three aspects of perfectionistic self-presentation: advertising one's own perfection, avoiding situations in which one might appear to be imperfect and failing to disclose situations in which one has been imperfect.
Slaney(1996) created the Almost Perfect scale, which contains four variables: Standards and Order, Relationships, Anxiety, and Procrastination. It distinguishes between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism. Both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists rate high in Standards and Order, but maladaptive perfectionists also rate high in Anxiety and Procrastination.
Perfectionism is one of the 16 Personality Factors identified by Raymond Cattell. It may be related to Conscientiousness and Neuroticism in the Big Five personality traits.
2006-07-17 10:50:52 · answer #1 · answered by ted_armentrout 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most often it depends on the context and how it was meant. If someone is impressed by how much effort you put into making sure your grammer is just so, putting one space in between each period of ". . .", the term perfectionist would be a compliment. If someone takes note of how all your clothes is folded exactly the same way, he or she calling you a perfectionist might be a playful way of telling you that you put too much effort into something that doesn't matter. If someone is slightly amused or annoyed that you'll never take your car to the drive-through wash at the gas station because it leaves spots, perfectionist would be an insult, though maybe also a playful one. If someone is irritated at the two hours you spend putting your hair up and applying makeup without blemishes, getting ready to go out on the town, perfectionism would probably be an insult, and also requesting that you hurry it up. Also, if you don't consider yourself a perfectionist, you might be offended if someone calls you one.
2006-07-17 18:40:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Type A personality.
2006-07-17 17:51:19 · answer #3 · answered by healingman2911 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A perfectionist is driven to be perfect, but always falls short. He tends to condemn himself secretly. He also judges others harshly by that perfect standard. He is harsh on himself, and he is harsh on others. Once he comes to the realization that it is OK to fail, then he will realize it is OK for others to fail also. The only real failure is when we fall or get knocked down in life, we don't get back up. We all fail and get knocked down, but we need to get back up. Falling or failure is not real failure. Not pressing forward is real failure.
2006-07-17 18:00:11 · answer #4 · answered by pshdsa 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
there is no perfection in life. it is a matter of trial and error.
2006-07-17 17:50:25 · answer #5 · answered by prince47 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋