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Student Perfectionist in Mathematics : helpful and harmful of student perfectionist ?

Besse Nurul Agustini


ICP Mathematics Education, State University of Makassar
Email : nurulhuluagustini@rocketmail.com

Abstract
There are two forms of perfectionism be distinguished, a positive form labeled normal
perfectionism and a negative form labeled neurotic perfectionism. Perfectionism is
maintained in a vicious cycle. Given that society values the pursuit of high standard and
perfectionism and there are may be positive consequence or negative consequence of
student perfectionism, especially in mathematics. In other words, being a perfectionist
can be either helpful and healthy, or unhelpful and harmful to student in learning
mathematics. It makes sense to question wether or not this is something student actually
want to change. This paper also provides an overview about what will be involved if
student decide to change their perfectionism and example of them.
Keywords : Perfectionism, Student, Mathematics, Consequently
A. Introduction
There are some factors that influence to student learning such as perfectionism. As
known, perfectionism is usually conceived as a personality style characterized by striving
for flawlessness and setting of excessively high standards for performance. More
perfectionist people can be found in personality with intelligence upon average or
population that have a high education. Simplify, can be sayed that perfectionism is
desire to determine and involved standard achieve and a high success. But if we not
understanding how to be a good perfectionist people that will be affect to ourself, for
example we will get depression or stress, so might be offend to ourself, especially in our
study.
Hamachek in Kearns (2008:22) describe about there are two forms of perfectionism be
differentiated. The first is a positive form labeled normal perfectionism in which
individuals enjoy pursuing their perfectionistic strivings and the second is a negative
form labeled neurotic perfectionism in which individuals suffer from their
perfectionistic strivings. Perfectionism research was long dominated by one dimensional
conceptions of perfectionism and by views that perfectionism was a negative

characteristic closely associated with psychopathology. Often we find that it affects


people in both ways. To help us identify the impact of perfectionism in our life, it is
important to weigh up both the positive and the negative consequences of being a
perfectionist.
Perfectionist students are not satisfied with merely doing well or even with doing better
than their peers. They are satisfied only if they have done a job perfectly, so that the
result reveals no blemishes or weaknesses. To the extent that perfectionism involves
striving for difficult but reachable goals, it involves the success-seeking aspects of
healthy achievement motivation and functions as an asset to the student and as an ally to
the teacher. Even a success-seeking version of perfectionism, however, can become a
problem to the extent that the student begins to focus not so much on meeting personal
goals as on winning competitions against classmates.
As a teacher, we must know about characteristic of our students, specifically about their
learning style in mathematics, their performance that will be judged according to
standards excellence. Therefore, teacher must have an effective strategies to handle their
student perfectionist.
B. Student Perfectionist in Mathematics
Students' attitudes toward mathematics is one of the characteristics of students who can
not be ignored in the study of mathematics. attitudes toward mathematics is a person's
tendency to accept or reject mathematics. Attitudes toward mathematics can be seen
when students follow the learning of mathematics, doing homework, or take a course in
mathematics. Attitudes toward mathematics will affect students' learning achievement.
As is characteristic of students in learning that attitudes, interests, talents, intelligence
level, perfectionist students, motivation, etc.
Still a bit of a perfectionist experts who examined the student, especially perfectionist
students' learning of mathematics. As with math anxiety, perfectionism students is also
one of the factors that influence student learning achievement
Learning mathematics is one of studies that student worry about it. In mathematics,
student learning about logic, calculation, formula analyze, and etc. Student need to be

careful in Reviews their study mathematics, Because The solution of mathematics is


certainly. Similarly, in the world of work, in fact now all companies, schools, and other
workplaces require good management in improving and maintaining the performance of
employees and servants. Particularly in the field of economics and marketing needs
people who have the mathematical concepts and good numerical ability. Thus Spake it
will be the make's anxiety and fear to the student, in other side the student will be more
striving for that to getting a perfectionist in Reviews their job.

Perfectionism focus on seeking success are relatively minor, however, compared to the
problems associated with forms of perfectionism that focus on avoiding failure. Fear of
failure (or of blame, rejection, or other anticipated social consequences of failure) can be
destructive to achievement motivation, especially if it is powerful and persistent. When
escape is not possible, they try to protect their self-esteem either by expressing very low
aspirations that will be easy to fulfill or by expressing impossibly high aspirations that
they have no serious intention of striving to fulfill. In the school setting, many such
students become alienated underachievers.
There are some characteristics of perfectionis student, according to Pacht (1984) in
Nugent (2000:216) listed the following as symptoms of student perfectionism :
(1) performance standards that are impossibly high and unnecessarily rigid; (2)
motivation more from fear of failure than from pursuit of success; (3)
measurement of one's own worth entirely in terms of productivity and
accomplishment; (4) all-or-nothing evaluations that label anything other than
perfection as failure; (5) difficulty in taking credit or pleasure, even when
success is achieved, because such achievement is merely what is expected; (6)
procrastination in getting started on work that will be judged; and (7) long
delays in completing assignments, or repeatedly starting over on assignments,
because the work must be perfect from the beginning and continue to be
perfect as one goes along.
According to Soleymani & Rekabdar (2010:453) have contend that although the great
use of mathematics in life and different careers, but mathematical learning problems and
weak performance in mathematics between many ordinary people and also those people
with university education is considered as a common problem. Educational morality in
mathematics subject is one of the most common problems among Iranian students in all
educational degrees. So, it is necessary to study the reasons for this lack of success

between students (university) and determine the variables that could help to improve the
mathematics performances of these students (university).
People who enjoy more of this perfectionism dimensions, even though they are doing
their job correctly, but doubted about it correctness. They are always doubtful and that is
why they have to repeat their works more and more and usually have a very slow
performance. Due to these research findings and also the relation between some if
perfectionism dimension with mathematics skills and performance, it is suggested that
mathematics teachers consider the role of perfectionism in education this subject.
Emphasize on positive dimensions such as personal standards and try to create rational
beliefs about action could be efficient in academic and mathematics performance.
According to Soleymani & Rekabdar (2010:455) findings that :
There is an inverse significant relation between parental perception
perfectionism and mathematics performance(r= -0.116 and p<0.05). The
relation between mathematics performance and concern over mistakes
perfectionism is also inversely significant (r= -0.145 and p<0.05). Here, again
there is an inverse significant relation between mathematics performance and
doubts about actions perfectionism(r=-0.192 and p<0.01). So, increasing
perfectionism in each subscale as parental perceptions, doubts about actions,
concern over mistakes is along with weak mathematics performance. There is
not any significant relation between mathematics performance and organization
perfectionism subscale(r=0.014 and p>0.05). The relation between
mathematics performance and personal standards perfectionism is significant
positive(r=0.131 and p<0.05). Thus, increase in personal standards
perfectionism is along with increasing mathematics performance.
C. Positive and Negative Aspects of Perfectionism
Positive Aspect of Perfectionism
Hamachek (1978) in Ram (2005) argued that perfectionism can be normal and that the
striving associated with it may lead to positive adjustment. He described normal
perfectionism as striving for realistic standards from which a sense of pleasure is
derived when results are achieved and self-esteem is enhanced.
There is also acceptance when personal and environmental limitations are encountered.
More recently, the similar concept of positive perfectionism (or adaptive or healthy
perfectionism) has increasingly been referred to. This refers to perfectionist behaviour in
which the individual has a willingness to approach stimuli, and strives to achieve high

standards. This results in rewarding outcomes, which enhances self-esteem and selfsatisfaction.
The individual sets high goals and personal standards, and strives for the rewards
associated with achievement, while retaining the ability to be satisfied with ones
performance. This sense of pleasure in accomplishment generates positive affect, which
reflects the extent a person feels enthusiastic, active and alert (high positive affect
reflects a state of high energy, full concentration, and pleasurable engagement, whereas
low positive affect is characterized by sadness and lethargy).
Positive affect has been shown to be related to social activity and satisfaction, and to the
frequency of pleasant events (Watson et al. in Ram, 2005:12). Positive perfectionism is
seen as being more adaptive, as it encourages positive and active striving toward goals
and the individual is able to regulate their perfectionism. It is therefore associated with
high achievement and positive affect (Flett & Hewitt in Ram, 2005:12).
Negative Aspect of Perfectionism
Hamachek in Ram (2005:12) describe about neurotic perfectionism. This is when an
individual strives for excessive and unrealistically high standards, and is overly critical
and evaluative of their own behaviour (Frost et al. ,1990 in Ram,2005). They are
motivated by a fear of failure and are unable to feel satisfaction if even the tiniest flaw
occurs. They also experience uncertainty and anxiety about their own capabilities. This is
in contrast with normal perfectionists who allow minor flaws in their performance while
still accepting it as.
As with positive perfectionism, there has increasingly been references to negative
perfectionism (or maladaptive perfectionism), which involves avoiding aversive
outcomes. Often, because of assumptions about the expectations that others hold, the
individual strives for standards that are unattainable. They are motivated by a fear of
failure, and often social criticism. This form of perfectionism is self-defeating, as fear of
failure and worrying still occurs even when standards have been met (Blackburn, 2003 in
Ram,2005).
Negative perfectionism is largely unregulated, and is associated with adverse and
punishing outcomes. This disposition generates from negative affect, a dimension of
subjective distress...that subsumes a variety of aversive mood states, including anger,

contempt, disgust, guilt, fear, and nervousness (Watson et al. in Ram,2005:13). Negative
affect is a mixture of anxiety and depression symptoms (Frost & Di Bartolo in
Ram,2005:13).
Research has shown that negative affect, but not positive affect, is related to self-reported
stress, poor coping, health complaints, and frequency of unpleasant events. Negative
perfectionism is therefore associated with failure, and negative affect. It has been
suggested by Parker that healthy and unhealthy perfectionism appear not to be poles of
one continuum, but distinct, independent factors that are embbedded in the personality in
different ways (Parker in Ram,2005:13).
D. Helpful and Harmful of Student Perfectionism ?
According to stoeber and otto (2006) say that healthy perfectionists were conceptualized
as individuals with high scores on those facets that the dimensional approaches associated
with perfectionistic strivings (i.e., personal standards, high standards, order, and
organization) and low or medium scores on those facets associated with perfectionistic
concerns (i.e., concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, discrepancy between actual
achievements and high expectations, parental criticism, and parental expectations).
Unhealthy perfectionists were conceptualized as individuals with high scores on all facets
of perfectionism.
Based on the statement before about positive and negative aspect of perfectionism, we
know that there are various of student behavioral especially if students have a positive
aspects of perfectionism or students have a negative aspects of perfectionism. In other
words, there are both helpful/healthy and harmful/unhelpful aspects of being a
perfectionist, it affects people (student) in that way.
So, if we want to expect our student perfectionism more helpful, then as a teacher we give
a suggestion or direction to our student what should they do, and do not be overly
perfectionist. The other way, if our student include in harmful aspects of perfetionism,
that will be concerned. As a teacher that is our responsible to handle our student to
avoiding them from harmful aspects of perfectionism. It is okay to be perfectionism, but
not be overly. Again it is depend on your deciding, be a helpful of student perfectionism
or be a harmful of student perfectionism.

E. Closing Remark
Perfectionists of student often show unsatisfactory achievement progress because they
are more concerned about avoiding mistakes than with learning. They are inhibited about
classroom participation and counterproductively compulsive in their work habits.
Identifying perfectionist students is possible by observing their behaviors and talking with
them about habits and practices that interfere with class participation and performance on
assignments.
Helpful or harmful of student perfectionism can be shown in both way. If students have a
positive characteristics of perfectionism, that will be helpful for them. The other way, if
students have a negative characteristics of perfectionism, that will be harmful for them.
Effective teachers take perfectionist students seriously, communicating understanding and
approval of their desire to do well and sympathizing with the students feelings of
embarrassment and frustration. When teacher given learning in the classroom, teacher
must know an effective strategy for student learning to avoiding the overly perfectionism.
Teachers can learn to support and reinforce the success-seeking aspects of achievement
motivation while working to reduce unrealistic goal setting.
F. References
Chan, David W. 2008. Perfectionism and the Striving for Excellence. Educational Research Journal,
23(1):1-19.
Kearns, Hugh., Forbes, Angus., Gardiner, Maria., & Marshall, Kelly. 1978. When a High Distinction isnt
Good Enough: A Review of Perfectionism and Self-Handicapping. The Australian Educational Researcher,
35(3) : 21-36.
Nugent, Stephanie A. 2000. Perfectionism :Its Manifestations and Classroom-Based Interventions.
TheJournal ofSecondary Gifted Education, 11(4):215-223.
Ram, Alison. 2005. The Relationship of Positive and Negative Perfectionism to Academic Achievement,
Achievement Motivation, and Well-Being in Tertiary Students. Canterbury:University of Canterbury
Stoeber, Joachim & Rambow, Anna. 2007. Perfectionism in Adolescent School Students:
Relations with Motivation, Achievement, and Well-Being. 42(7):1-13.
Soleymani, Bahari & Rekabdar, Ghasem. 2010. The Relationship between Perfectionism Dimensions and
Mathematics Performance in Iranian Students. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 8:453-457.

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