Perfectionism
Existential perfectionism is the belief in an unattainable perfect existence, leading to frustration, while material perfectionism is the pursuit of flawless, measurable outcomes in specific tasks. Existential perfectionism is an internal, broad struggle with the idea of a perfect life or self, often leading to dissatisfaction, while material perfectionism is an external focus on achieving exact, tangible goals and avoiding mistakes in a defined project.
| Feature | Existential Perfectionism | Material Perfectionism |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | The overall state of being or “existence”. | Specific, measurable achievements and outcomes. |
| Nature | Internal, philosophical, and broad; the pursuit of a perfect life, self, or moral standard. | External, tangible, and goal-oriented; the pursuit of a perfect result on a specific task. |
| Goals | Often includes unattainable ideals of being a perfect person, partner, or spiritual being. | A precise match between the final product and the initial plan, like a perfectly executed report or a flawless piece of art. |
| Motivation | Can be driven by a desire for acceptance, to escape internal feelings of inadequacy, or to find meaning. | Motivated by a desire for social recognition, financial security, or general happiness through achievement. |
| Mindset | Can lead to constant questioning of one’s own worth and a feeling that one “has less” even while striving for more. | Causes excessive preoccupation with mistakes, fear of failure, and fear of letting others down. |
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.ssophsthoughtss.com/post/understanding-moral-perfectionism
[3] https://www.quora.com/What-is-existential-perfectionism
Two Kinds of Perfectionism and How They Might Affect You | 16Personalities
The main types of perfectionism are self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed. Other ways to categorize perfectionism include adaptive perfectionism (healthy striving) and maladaptive perfectionism (harmful overachievement). A broader classification distinguishes between perfectionistic strivings (aiming for high achievement) and perfectionistic concerns (a fear of making mistakes and being judged).
Based on Hewitt and Flett’s model
- Self-oriented perfectionism: Setting unrealistically high standards for oneself and being overly critical of one’s own mistakes.
- Other-oriented perfectionism: Expecting others to be flawless and becoming excessively bothered by their errors.
- Socially prescribed perfectionism: Believing that others (family, friends, society) have impossibly high standards for you and that you are being judged by them.
Based on adaptive vs. maladaptive
- Adaptive perfectionism: Also called “healthy striving,” this involves setting high standards while also being able to be flexible and accepting of imperfections.
- Maladaptive perfectionism: This type is characterized by an unhealthy and rigid pursuit of perfection that can be self-defeating.
Based on strivings vs. concerns
- Perfectionistic strivings: This involves a drive to achieve high standards and goals.
- Perfectionistic concerns: This is characterized by a fear of making mistakes and a strong concern about being judged negatively by others for one’s performance.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://study.com/academy/lesson/adaptive-vs-maladaptive-perfectionism.html
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9355475/
[4] https://hewittlab.psych.ubc.ca/faq-2/are-there-different-kinds-of-perfectionism/
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/perfectionism
[6] https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/10/03/perfectionism/
[7] https://thecoachspace.com/blog/three-types-of-perfectionism/
- Intense perfectionists
- Classic perfectionists
- Parisian perfectionists
- Procrastinator perfectionists
- Messy perfectionists