Achievement and Affiliation: A Motivational Perspective of Sex Differences

Abstract

Achievement and affiliation behavior are important issues in the literature of sex-role differences. Males have been viewed as being achievement-oriented, and female affiliation-oriented. Deaux (1976) has mentioned a series of arguments which attempt to explain how and why males and females differ in these behaviors. This study replicated the Lunneborg and Rosenwood (1972) study in an attempt to further review the achievement versus affiliation argument. In addition to their techniques, the Personality Research Form (Form A) was also administered to a sample of 180 high school and college males and females. While the results of this study fail to resolve the achievement versus affiliation argument, it nevertheless offers some new possible explanations to the noted differences. Ultimately, the achievementaffiliation argument will have to be viewed only insofar as age and education remain important considerations in the sex differences studies of achievement behavior.In The Behavior of Women and Men, Deaux (1976) has mentioned a series of arguments which attempt to explain how and why males and females differ in their achievement behavior. Achievement behavior is behavior which is directed toward improving or accomplishing in any endeavor. The notion of success underlies achievement behavior. Affiliation behavior is behavior which is directed toward the establishment of friendly and satisfying interpersonal relationships. Simply stated, the primary argument says that males are predominantly m6tivated by achievement needs, whereas females are motivated more by affiliative needs. Deaux has also stated that while one group of researchers has argued that males and females are motivated by different needs, another group believes that a conflict may be present between two different needs in both males and females -achievement and affiliation.