Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Achievement Orientation in Females: A Social Psychological Perspective

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recent literature on female achievement orientation is reviewed. Theories of achievement motivation are discussed, and a brief statement on sex-role stereotypes is included. Specific attention is given to the ways in which sex-role ideologies and expectations affect female achievement. The antecedents of female achievement orientation are examined. Recent developments in research, including the motive to avoid success, value orientations, and ability, are discussed. Finally, future directions for female achievement orientation research are presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference Note

  1. HEFNER, R., NORDIN, V. D., MEDA, R., & OLESHANSKY, B. 1974. A model of sex-role transcendence: Role polarity and sex discrimination in education. Ann Arbor: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, National Institute of Education Contract (#Nie-C-74–0144).

    Google Scholar 

References

  • ALLGEIER, E. R. 1975. Beyond sowing and growing: The relationship of sex typing to socialization, family plans, and future orientation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 5 (3), 217–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ALPER, T. C., & GREENBERGER, E. 1967. Relationship of picture structure to achievement motivation in college women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology y 7, 362–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTIN, H. S. 1968. Career developments of girls during high school years. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 15, 536–540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ATKINSON, J. W., & LITWIN, G. H. 1960. Achievement motive and test anxiety conceived as motive to approach success and motive to avoid failure. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 60, 52–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BALAZS, E. K. 1975. Psycho-social study of outstanding female athletes. The Research Quarterly, 46, 267–273.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BANDUCCI, R. 1967. The effect of mothers employment on the achievement aspirations and expectations of the child’. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 46, 263–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BANDURA, A., & WALTERS, R. H. 1963. Social learning and personality development. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • BARUCH, R. 1967. The achievement motive in women: Implications for career development. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5 (3), 260–267.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BROVERMAN, I., BROVERMAN, D. M., CLARKSON, F. E., ROSENKRANTZ, P. S., & VOGEL, S. R. 1970. Sex-role stereotypes and clinical judgments of mental health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 34, 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BROWN, M., Jennings, J., & VANIK, V. 1974. The motive to avoid success: Achievement conflicts in men and women. Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, 48–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • CHERRY, F., & DEAUX, K. 1978. Fear of success versus fear of gender-inappropriate behavior. Sex Roles, 4, 97–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • COLLINS, B. E., & RAVEN, B. H. 1968–1969. Group structure: Attraction, coalitions, communication, and power. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronfreed, Handbook of social psychology (vol. 4). Redding, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.

  • CRANDALL, V. J. 1963. Achievement. In H. W. Stevenson (Ed.), Child psychology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • CRANDALL, V. J., & BATTLE, E. S. 1970. The antecedent and adult correlates of academic and intellectual achievement effort. In J. P. Hill (Ed.), Minnesota symposia on child psychology (vol. 4). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

  • CRANDALL, V. J., KATKOVSKY, W., & PRESTON, A. 1960. A conceptual formulation for some research on childrens achievement development’. Child Development, 33, 643–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DEAUX, K., & EMSWILLER, T. 1973. Explanations of successful performance on sex-linked tasks: What is skill for a male is luck for the female. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 29, 80–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DEUTSCH, C. J., & GILBERT, L. A. 1976. Sex role stereotypes: Effect on perceptions of self and others and on personal adjustment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 23, 373–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DOHERTY, E. G., & CULVER, C. 1976. Sex-role identification, ability, and achievement among high school girls. Sociology of Education, 49, 1–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DOUVAN, E., & ADELSON, J. 1966. The adolescent experience. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • EDELSKY, C. 1976. Subjective reactions to sex-linked language. The Journal of Social Psychology, 99, 97–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ENGLEHARD, P. A., Jones, K. O., & STIGGINS, R. J. 1976. Trends in counselor attitude about womens roles’. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 23, 365–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ENTWISLE, D. R. 1972. To dispel fantasies about fantasy-based measures of achievement motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 77, 377–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FEATHER, N. T., & RAPHELSON, A. C. 1974. Fear of success in Australian and American student groups: Motives or sex-role stereotypes? Journal of Personality, 42, 190–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FEATHER, N. T., & SIMON, J. G. 1975. Reactions to male and female success and failure in sex-linked occupations: Impressions of personality, causal attributions, and perceived likelihood of different consequences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 20–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FRENCH, E. G., & LESSER, G. S. 1964. Some characteristics of the achievement motive in women. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 68, 119–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GeARTY, J. Z., & MILNER, J. S. 1974. Academic major, gender of examiner, and the motive to avoid success in women. Dissertation Abstracts International, 35, 13–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • GJESME, T. 1973. Achievement-related motives and school performance for girls. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26, 131–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GOODSTEIN, L. D., & SARGENT, A. G. 1977. Psychological theories of sex differences. In A. G. Sargent (Ed.), Beyond sex roles. New York: West Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • GUMP, J. 1972. Sex-role attitudes and psychological well-being. Journal of Social Issues, 28, 79–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HAWLEY, P. 1971. What women think men think. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 3, 193–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HOFFMAN, L. 1974. Effects of maternal employment on the child: Review of the research. Developmental Psychology, 10, 201–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HORNER, M. 1972. Toward an understanding of achievement-related conflicts in women. Journal of Social Issues, 28, 157–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JACKLIN, C. N., & MISCHEL, H. N. 1973. As the twig is bent: Sex role stereotyping in early readers. School Psychology Digest, 2, 30–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • KEMPER, T. D. 1968. Reference groups, socialization and achievement. American Sociological Review, 33, 31–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KIDD, T. R., & WOODMAN, W. F. 1975. Sex and orientations toward winning sport. The Research Quarterly, 46, 476–483.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KLINGER, E. 1966. Fantasy need achievement as a motivational construct. Psychological Bulletin, 66, 291–308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KLUCKHOHN, F. 1969. American women and American values. In B. C. Rosen, H. Crockett & C. Z. Nunn (Eds.), Achievement in American society. Cambridge: Schenkman Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • LEUPTOW, L. B. 1968. Need for achievement and occupational preferences: Some operations with value-orientations as intervening variables in need-goal relationships. Sociometry, 31, 304–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LEUPTOW, L. B. 1975. Parental status and influence and the achievement orientations of high school seniors. Sociology of Education, 48, 91–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LEVINE, A., & CRUMRINE, J. 1975. Women and the fear of success: A problem in replication. American Journal of Sociology, 80, 964–974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LIPMAN-BLUMEN, J. 1972. How ideology shapes womens lives’. Scientific American, 226, 34–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MACCOBY, E. 1966. Sex differences in intellectual functioning. In E. Maccoby (Ed.), The development of sex differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • MACCOBY, E., & JACKLIN, C. N. 1974. The psychology of sex differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McARTHUR, L. Z., & EISEN, S. V. 1976. Achievements of male and female story-book characters as determinants of achievement behavior by boys and girls. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33, 467–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCLELLAND, D. C. 1958. Risk-taking in children with high and low need for achievement. In J. W. Atkinson (Ed.), Motives in fantasy, action, and society. Princeton: Van Nostrand.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCLELLAND, D. C., Atkinson, J. W., Clark, R. A., & LOWELL, E. L. 1953. The achievement motive. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • McCLENDON, M. J. 1976. The occupational status attainment processes of males and females. American Sociological Review, 41, 52–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCOY, N. L. 1977. Innate factors in sex differences. In A.G. Sargent (Ed.), Beyond sex roles. New York: West Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEAD, M. 1935. Sex and temperament in three primitive societies. New York: Morrow.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEDNICK, M., Tangri, S., & HOFFMAN, L. 1975. Women and achievement. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEEKER, B. F., & WEITZEL-O’NEILL, P. A. 1977. Sex roles and interpersonal behavior in task-oriented groups. American Sociological Review, 42, 91–105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MINNIGERODE, F. A. 1976. Attitudes toward women, sex-role stereotyping and locus of control. Psychological Reports, 38, 1301–1302.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MUSSEN, P. H., CONGER, J., & KAGAN, J. 1974. Child development and personality. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • NYE, F. T., & HOFFMAN, L. 1963. The employed mother in America. Chicago: Rand, McNally.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’LEARY, V. E. 1974. Some attitudinal barriers to occupational aspirations in women. Psychological Bulletin, 81, 809–826.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OSMOND, M. W., & MARTIN, P. Y. 1975. Sex and sexism: A comparison of male and female sex-role attitudes. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 37, 744–757.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PEPLAU, L. A. 1976. Impact of fear of success and sex-role attitudes on womens competitive achievement’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 561–568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PHETERSON, G. I., KIESLER, S. B., & GOLDBERG, P. A. 1971. Evaluation of the performance of women as a function of their sex, achievement, and personal history. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 19, 114–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PLECK, J. H. 1976. Male threat from female competence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 608–613.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • REHBERG, R., SINCLAIR, J., & SCHAFER, W. 1970. Adolescent achievement and behavior, family authority and parental socialization practices. American Journal of Sociology, 75, 1012–1034.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ROBERTS, G. C. 1975. Sex and achievement motivation effects on risk taking. The Research Quarterly, 46, 58–70.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ROSEN, B. C. 1956. The achievement syndrome. American Sociological Review, 21, 203–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ROSEN, B. C., & ANESHENSEL, C. S. 1976. The chameleon syndrome: A social psychological dimension of the female sex role. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38, 605–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ROSENKRANTZ, P., Vogel, S., Bee, H., Broverman, I., & BROVERMAN, D. 1968. Sex-role stereotypes and self-concepts in college students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 33, 287–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ROTTER, J. B. 1966. Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80 (1), 1–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SANGER, S. P., & ALKER, H. A. 1972. Dimensions of internal-external locus of control and the womens liberation movement’. Journal of Social Issues, 28, 115–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STAKE, J. E. 1976. Effect of probability of forthcoming success on sex differences in goal setting: A test of the fear of success hypothesis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 444–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STEIN, A. H. 1971. Effects of sex-role standards of achievement and sex-role preference on three determinants of achievement motivation. Developmental Psychology, 4, 219–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STEIN, A. H., & BAILEY, M. 1973. The socialization of achievement orientation in females. Psychological Bulletin, 80, 345–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STEIN, A. H., & SMITHELLS, J. 1969. Age and sex differences in childrens sex role standards about achievement’. Developmental Psychology, 1, 252–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SUTER, B., & DOMINO, G. 1975. Masculinity-femininity in creative college women. Journal of Personality Assessment, 39, 414–420.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • TANGRI, S. S. 1972. Determinants of occupational role innovation among college women. Journal of Social Issues, 28, 177–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • THURBER, S., & FRIEDLI, R. 1976. Internal-external control, interpersonal trust, and the motive to avoid success in college women. The Journal of Psychology, 92, 141–143.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • TOLOR, A., Kelly, B. R., & STEBBINS, C. A. 1976. Assertiveness, sex-role stereotyping, and self-concept. The Journal of Psychology, 93, 157–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TOUHEY, J. C. 1974. Masculinity-femininity and accuracy of sex role ascription. Social Behavior and Personality, 2, 40–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TOUHEY, J. C., & VILLEMEZ, W. J. 1975. Need achievement and risk-taking preference: A clarification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 713–719.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WEINER, B. 1974. Achievement motivation and attribution theory. Morristown, N.J.: General Learning Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Psychological Record, Lorain County Community College, Gambier, Ohio, 43022, USA

    Sharon H. Darmofall & Richard J. McCarbery

Authors
  1. Sharon H. Darmofall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard J. McCarbery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Portions of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of The American Psychological Association, San Francisco, August, 1977.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Darmofall, S.H., McCarbery, R.J. Achievement Orientation in Females: A Social Psychological Perspective. Psychol Rec 29, 15–41 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394586

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394586

Search

Navigation