Are Masculine Trait-Factors in Women a Help or a Hindrance in Dealing with Fear of Success?

Abstract

The motive to avoid success is identified ( 6 ) as fear that success in competitive situations will lead to negative consequences. Horner maintained that this is particularly true for women who are ambitious and achievement-oriented and who must deal with their accomplishments in light of sociery's potenrial osrracism of their competitive, unfeminine behavior. Hornet's ideas suggest that fear of success. is more pronounced for non-traditional women who desire to compete and achieve than it is for sex-rolecongruent women. Some studies (2, 7 ) have supported Horner's thesis that nontraditionally oriented, sex-reversed females experience greater fear of success. Other researchers (4, 8 ) report that sex-reversed females exhibit significantly less fear of success. Still others ( 3 ) found no relationship, Since results seem conflicting; this important relationship needs to be explored. The Bem Sex-role Inventory (1 ) assessed 101 females' endorsement of masculine and feminine characteristics in themselves and the Fear of Success Scale ( 5 ) evaluated how strongly they were governed by che motive to avoid success. Means, SDs, and ranges for masculine Bem scores were 97.19, 12.47, and 59 to 125, for feminine Bem scores 102.04, 11.08, and 72 to 123, and for fear of success scores 7.68, 4.36, and 0 to 21 (4 = .14). Multiple regression techniques were used to predict level of fear of success from sex-role orientation scores. A significant relationship ( p < ,001) obtained between masculinity and fear of success, high masculinity being associated with low fear of success. Femininity was nonsignificant. Apparently, females who recognize masculine characteristics as an integral part of their personality feel more comfortable than their sex-rolecongruent counterparts in achievement-oriented situations. Possession of masculine traits allows women to feel less pressured by societal norms to conform to a feminine, noncompetitive posrure. They view the active pursuit of success-related goals as acceptable behavior and are less prone to experience feat of success.