ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we extend our previous analyses of the nature, costs, and consequences of perfectionism in athletes, dancers, and exercisers. Typically, we have emphasized the pressures inherent in having to be perfect from a perspective that considers the implications for performance as well as the toll that the need to be perfect can have on the individual athlete, dancer, and exerciser. In the current chapter, we extend our analysis by introducing the concept of “perfectionistic reactivity.” Perfectionistic reactivity is the notion that perfectionists have a characteristic way of responding to challenges that is often not conducive to success and is potentially harmful to their well-being. In addition to describing and discussing perfectionistic reactivity and the contexts in which it is expressed, we extend our views on the nature of perfectionism and its potential costs.
