Final answer:
Harry is engaging in self-handicapping by creating obstacles that could justify potential failure and protect his self-esteem, which is a behavior where individuals avoid effort or create excuses in anticipation of possible future failure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Harry is engaging in self-handicapping. This is a behavior in which people create obstacles and excuses for themselves to avoid self-blame when they do not meet expectations. In Harry's case, despite his talent indicated by his record on the tennis team, he doubts his abilities and starts avoiding practice and coaching lessons. This behavior provides him with an external excuse if he doesn't win the state championship, as he can attribute any failure to his lack of preparation rather than a lack of ability.
The concept of self-handicapping can be linked to the way individuals attribute their success and failures. If Harry wins, he may attribute his success to his innate talent, aligning with self-serving attributions. In contrast, if Harry loses, by having set up barriers to his success through lack of practice, he can blame his loss on these and not on his lack of skill, thus protecting his self-esteem.