In an experiment using graduate students, fear of success and fear of failure were highly related factors, but neither interacted with item difficulty to affect test performance. Neither fear of failure nor fear of success influenced males or females differently. (Author/GDC)

Children in primary education often encounter mathematics having picked up a general fear of mathematics from the society around them. This results in lack of confidence, avoidance of non-standard thought processes, weakness in problem solving strategies, and other negative consequences. This study offers an alternative approach: presenting…

Three sources of success inhibition are discussed as contributing to problems of success avoidance in a university population. Cases are presented to document these and a series of stages is described leading to the resolution of success inhibition. (JMF)

The well-known study on fear of success (FOS) by Horner (1968) asserted that women low in FOS do better on achievement-oriented tasks under competitive conditions, while women high in the motive do better when the situation is non-competitive. This paper critically reviews the methodology of this study and concludes that the statistical test…

This study explores the notion of "fear of success" as a function of cultural expectations rather than as an intrapsychic motive held by women. A total of 476 male and female students (including 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th graders) were tested on semantic differential scales to gauge their reactions to the success or failure of a woman or a man. It…

The Fear of Success Consequence Scale was used to assess early and mid-adolescents' fears of potential social consequences of academic success. Results indicated that fear of academic success decreased through adolescence and girls generally had a greater fear of academic success. (DWH)

For 404 community college students differentiated by sex, ethnicity, and types of educational majors, an estimate of the concurrent validity of each of two predictor measures (locus of control and sex-role orientation) was obtained relative to a criterion measure portraying the fear of success construct. (Author/PN)

Investigated relationships among fear of success, locus of control, and vocational indecision in college students and these relationships moderated by sex and ability. Results indicated that vocationally undecided students are more external, are more fearful of success, and have lower ACT scores than decided students. (Author)

In considering the shortage of women in school administration, the authors examine various theories on women's achievement motivations and perceptions about leadership as a "white male club." They suggest that an androgynous theory of leadership would alleviate these psychological barriers. Part of a theme issue on women in education. (SJL)

High school students responded to questionnaires measuring need for achievement and fear of success and indicated their future occupational and educational aspirations. Female students were found to aspire to less demanding occupations than male students and both motivational constructs predicted vocational aspirations. (Author)

The competitive definition of success has fostered the popular notion that women are afraid to succeed. Recent research suggests that this anxiety is generated by the climate of competition, not success itself. Rather than training women to compete, the institutions and values that define success should be restructured. (Author/SK)

Examined similarities in sex-role conflict between female athletes and alcoholic women. Findings showed female athletes and female alcoholics (N=60) similar to each other and different from controls (N=30) along dimensions of sex-role conflict. Discusses findings relative to female athletes' susceptibility to alcoholism. (Author/PVV)

Olfactory recognition memory was tested in adult male mice using a social discrimination task. The testing was conducted to begin to characterize the role of protein synthesis and the specific brain regions associated with activity in this task. Long-term olfactory recognition memory was blocked when the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin was…

A study investigated sex based differences among intercollegiate athletes for the variables: motive to succeed (Ms), motive to avoid failure (Maf), and fear of success (FOS). Actual athletic competitions were used as target situations to elicit feelings of Ms, Maf, and FOS within each athlete. Mehrabian's scale of achieving tendencies, Martens'…

Given the evidence that many women do pursue achievement successfully, the position that biology requires women to avoid success is unconvincing. Possible sources for the factors that generate avoidance of success include the influence of society, peers, and the family. In a search for sources of achieving behavior, 50 pairs of fathers and…